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Following the introduction of the Agency Workers Regulations (AWR) last October, a survey by the Association of Professional Staffing Companies found that nearly a third of recruiters expected businesses to terminate temporary contracts early to avoid their duties under AWR.
Despite this, only a fifth of those surveyed felt that the new regulations were contributing towards reduced demand for contractors and temporary staff.
AWR ensures that temporary workers have the same rights as their permanent counterparts after 12 weeks of working at a company, entitling individuals to the same pay, working hours, overtime, holidays and rest periods as permanent members of staff. However, this does not apply to benefits such as pensions and shares, along with redundancy payouts and occupational sick pay.
Although it may be tempting for businesses to terminate contracts early, there are legal implications for firms who do so and then hire the same individual again at a later date. As this is a clear violation of the regulations, any business which does so is liable to face a fine, as well as being required to compensate the workers in question.
To find out more about how we can help you, please contact Carvill & Johnson in Northfield, Birmingham. |
