There are just 8 weeks to go until the Agency Worker Regulations come into force in the UK. October 2011 will bring about many changes for the UK’s recruitment industry, particularly in the temporary work sectors.
The regulations are to be put in place to protect vulnerable workers from exploitation and ensure that they have the same basic employment rights and conditions as a permanent employee. Therefore vulnerable workers (temporary workers) will be entitled to the same pay, working hours and holiday as their permanent equivalents.
The impact of the legislation is not yet definite and neither will it be until October when we can fully assess the impact of the AWR when it is officially in play.
There is no hiding from the AWR therefore it is important that plans are generated to help agencies and clients (hirer) implement and comply with the legislation. Preparing clients and candidates sooner rather than later will see some agencies gain an advantage over their competitors.
FastTrack Management Services aims to be ahead of the game and we have spent recent months identifying potential solutions to protect ourselves and our clients from potential threats and non-compliancy.
So with 8 weeks to go, what is FastTrack doing?
Well, currently all our employees, throughout all departments are currently being educated on the AWR enabling them to open up conversations with our clients and candidates, resolving queries regarding the legislation.
We have spent a huge amount of time, dissecting the directive and are now working towards setting measures in place to ensure we have the essential procedures, processes and personnel in place to operate efficiently when the legislation comes into force.
Right now the key message that we at FastTrack are sending out is ‘Do your AWR research!’
It’s vital that you know what the AWR means for you, whether you are an agency, client (hirer) or temporary worker, don’t get left behind and caught up in the legislation!