De Poel, the temporary procurement agency, says that industry ambassadors and the British press need to get their facts right in light of rumours that the coalition government intends to water down some of the Agency Workers Regulations.
One story that appeared recently implied that temporary agency workers would lose potential holiday pay as a result of legislation being revoked. However, temps have been entitled to paid holidays since 1998. Another misconception is that temps get a raw deal and yet in some sectors such as engineering, healthcare and IT they get paid more than permanent staff members.
Matthew Sanders, CEO of De Poel, said that although it is important to protect temporary workers, doing so should not be detrimental to business and the economy.
Last week De Poel joined forces with the ARC which has continually raised concerns regarding the legality of the regulations which are due to come into force in October next year.
Meanwhile the government is set to push ahead with the review of the AWR although any amendments are likely to be minor. All EU member states must implement the agency workers directive by 5 December 2011 and the UK coalition must make sure it complies with the requirements or face the prospect of legal challenges in the future.
The REC is hosting a live webinar this Wednesday to update both clients and candidates on the facts surrounding the AWR and help them prepare effectively for their implementation. Although the event is now fully subscribed, it will be available ‘on demand’ as from Friday 23rd July.
The REC has also compiled a comprehensive implementation pack containing information, tools and advice for businesses.
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