News

“Vulnerable” Workers Helpline

The government has just announced a telephone helpline for workers called the Pay and Work Rights Helpline. The helpline is set up to give all workers including agency workers easy access to information about their rights. In the accompanying announcements from both government and the REC it is referred to as a “vulnerable workers helpline” […]

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‘Last in first out’ redundancies

As the HR Manager may say – “unfortunately, as you’re aware, the company has to be making cut backs. As you’re the newest member of staff we have decided to make you redundant – last in, first out”.What is wrong with that? Using this approach to redundancies can often appear to be the easiest option. However […]

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Seminar – Agency Workers Directive Second Consultation – countdown to what?

With the Conservatives warning against possible cost to the economy rising to some £40bn over a 10 year period and widespread concern of government overkill (“gold plating”), the Agency Workers Directive has already proved to be the most controversial piece of proposed legislation affecting the recruitment supply industry thus far. Now that the  government’s actual […]

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HR set to hire direct

In an article published in Personnel Today on 4th September the HR Manager of a large hirer of agency workers indicated that once the Directive is in place they intend to hire temps direct from their own internal bank of temp workers. They made it clear that this was not an off the cuff observation but […]

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Employment status

The case of a limited company contractor who has been able to successfully assert that he was an employee of his client has recently been raising eyebrows across the industry. In Asltrom v Tilson, Mr Tilson, who operated through his own limited company which was acting as a subcontractor, whose principal was being supplied to […]

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Planned increased in the national minimum wage

From 1st October 2009, the national minimum wage will increase from £5.73 to £5.80 per hour.  A recruiter or umbrella company whose rates fall below such levels will be advised to address these matters with clients, unless there is already clear provision within contracts for an increase in rates to account for such costs. Payment […]

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Holiday pay decision

The position regarding holiday pay for those on long term sick leave has recently been clarified by the European courts. The UK courts had suggested that workers on long terms sick leave should not accrue holiday entitlement, on the basis that they are already on leave. However this has been overruled by the European Court […]

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Fines imposed for Anti-Competitive activities

As has been seen in the recent case involving the massive fines imposed on a consortium of recruitment businesses called ” the Construction Industry Forum”, the penalties for engaging in anti competitive behaviour can be severe . Apart from fines, they can extend in certain circumstances to the disqualification of directors. So what effect could this have on your business? Most of […]

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