subject: Awr Preperation For Recruitment Agencies [print this page] At the start of October, the Agency Workers Regulations (AWR) will take full effect in the United Kingdom. The reason for these regulations is quite simple; provide temporary workers the same treatment as directly employed staff with regards to employment conditions and basic working conditions, following a 12 week qualifying period.
What this means is that, after the three month period, a temporary worker will have the same: overtime, holidays, pay, training, overtime, facilities and working hours as the direct employees. However, sick pay and maternity or paternity leave won't be included in this.
The end client is obviously what the work of a recruitment agency is all about. Information regarding a client, and how they work, will be key to knowing if they hold agency worker regulations as a big issue. Some tips for preparing for this include:
- People and process - Protection is imperative to agency workers and freelancers who, sometimes, don't know their rights. It is key that you think about how to be compliant with the agency workers regulations so that when they change and evolve you will be in a far better position to adapt to them. By having a water tight plan moving forward, you will ensure that risks are low and candidates know exactly what their rights are.
- Let your clients know - Moving your information between client and agency can be essential to figuring out the right approach. Having a client that is clued up on the AWRs means that your collaborations will be smoother and sweeter once implemented. Be sure to have information read to compare to keep up to date.
- Keep your eyes open - Be sure to keep yourself aware of what is going on in the industry by bookmarking the right websites and keeping your ear to the ground with some of the experts so you can gain invaluable insights into what you need through industry commentaries and case studies.
The regulations have got their fair share of publicity thanks to them being a big step in global equal rights. By searching deep into the information, you can find exactly what you're searching for. There are websites about understanding them, and offering advice for them, but there are a whole host of links out there that lead to important and compelling documents.
The AWRs will be a shift in direction regarding how people manage temporary workers. Either directly through the client, through a recruitment agency or by using an umbrella company it is imperative for people to grow and understand moving forward.
