Temp workers to get more employment rights

During this recession, there seems to be no such thing as a secure permanent job – but the government appears to have wised up to the need to protect temporary workers with a new law which comes into play.

It means that the scores of Redland people who work as temps will enjoy more protection, something they were previously denied by there employers.

Companies in the South West region told to be on their guard as recruitment laws change when the Agency Workers Regulation (AWR) comes into force.

The Agency Workers Regulation will cause businesses in South West to make changes to how they hire temporary staff but there are a number of benefits that will arise from the new laws as long as companies embrace them.

Under the new regulations that are introduced on 1st October, temporary agency workers will – after 12 weeks of working on an assignment - be eligible for equal treatment and have the right to the same basic working and employment conditions as if they had been recruited directly by the hiring company.

Equal treatment applies to various terms and conditions including those relating to pay, working hours, overtime, holidays, rest periods, access to vacancies and to other facilities it does not apply to other areas such as company pension schemes, company sick pay, or redundancy.

There has been some disquiet among employers in the South West region as AWR is introduced on the same day as the scrapping of the Default Retirement Age and the increase in minimum wage, which some have said is putting additional strain on already pressurised businesses.

Carmen Watson, managing director of Pertemps Recruitment Partnership, believes although the AWR is significant piece of legislation that will affect a large portion of the country's workers, it will have numerous advantages. She said: "A large number of businesses in  South West region rely on temporary workers due to the cyclical nature of business, as they try to service the peaks and troughs of market demands. Although some companies aren't yet comfortable with the legislation, it will introduce added value in a number of areas such as improved retention, increased productivity and job/skills related training on the back of the fact that we will have a workforce that in many cases will be better rewarded and will have increased job security."

And Redland administrative temp worker Sam Watson, 27, agrees. She said: "I've tried to get a permanent job, I've been trying for a year now but it's just so tough at the moment. I've been doing part time temp work but they can drop you with no notice at all. Hopefully this means I won't be left in the lurch if they decide they don't need me anymore."