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The government has published guidance, in partnership with a wide range of businesses, trade unions and recruitment agency representatives, aimed at helping employers and the recruitment sector prepare for the introduction of the Agency Workers Regulations. (Separate guidance for agency workers will be published shortly.)
The regulations implement the EU Agency Workers Directive, as agreed in 2008 following social partner agreement between the CBI and TUC. They will come into force in the UK on 1 October 2011.
The key changes as a result of the regulations will be that after a 12-week qualifying period, an agency worker will be entitled to the same basic working and employment conditions as if he or she had been directly recruited by the hirer to the same job. The conditions include key elements of pay, duration of working time, night work, rest periods and breaks, annual leave and paid time off for ante-natal appointments.
The regulations also cover new entitlements for agency workers from day one of their assignment with regards to access to facilities at the workplace and the right to be notified of any relevant vacancies.
