Agency Workers Regulations

“I have always compared the Agency Workers Regulations to a doctor’s needle – Initially, they look quite terrifying, but they won’t be as bad as you expect, and, if you grin and bear it (and have a strategy to mitigate their impact!), the AWR should have a positive effect overall. If prepared for extensively, and contingency plans are put into place, it should be a smooth transition for most companies.”

- Matthew Sanders, CEO, de Poel

2011 was a big year for employers, with a raft of new employment legislation coming into force, including, perhaps most significantly, the Agency Workers Regulations 2010 (“AWR”), which is having a huge impact on businesses throughout the UK.

Being able to adhere to new legislation in a smooth and controlled manor is imperative for business. The best way to do this, in respect of the AWR, is through a well-planned recruitment strategy.

The AWR is one of the most debated pieces of legislation in recent times but, with the regulations now in force, we are still yet to find out exactly what impact the new legislation will have. So, just how do companies create and maintain a robust recruitment strategy to ensure compliance?

The British Chamber of Commerce released a forecast earlier this year that the new legislation will cost UK client organisations £40m to address and an annual recurring cost of £1,497m to comply. Although this cost is terrifying, the impact of the new legislation, including financial implications, should always be considered in a recruitment strategy.

The AWR is intended to give qualifying agency workers the same basic pay, holidays and working time they would have received had they been employed directly by the hirer to do the same job. This means that qualifying agency workers, which generally speaking will be those that have worked 12 weeks for the same hirer, will seek the same rate of pay, the same annual leave entitlements and the same access to collective facilities as an employee doing the same job, but they are not entitled to all of the benefits that the comparable employee gets.

Follow the links on the left to find out more or take a look at the Latest Agency Workers Regulations news.