New rules affecting employers who take on
agency and temporary workers will take
effect from 1 October 2011.
From that date, the
Agency Workers Regulations mean that
agency workers who work in the same role
with the same hirer for 12 continuous
calendar weeks will be entitled to the
same basic employment and working
conditions as employees in comparable
roles.
Agency workers will be able to
accumulate the 12 weeks’ service even if
they only work a few hours a week. Once
the qualifying period is completed, they
must be treated as if they had been
directly recruited on the first day of the
assignment.
As of the first day in a temporary
role, the hirer must give agency workers:
- access to the same on-site
facilities as a comparable employee
would have, e.g. staff canteens,
childcare, parking and transport
- access to information on relevant
job vacancies within the business.
Once agency workers complete the
12-week qualifying period, the hirer must
also give them the following equal
treatment entitlements:
- key elements of pay, including
salary, overtime pay, shift allowances,
bonuses, lunch vouchers, and/or annual
leave pay
- working time, including duration of
working time, night work, rest periods
and breaks and annual leave.
LINK:
Guidance on the Agency Workers Regulations |
