Agency Workers' rights

If you are an agency worker, you may have already discovered that as of 1st October 2011, you have a range of new rights under new Agency Workers Regulations.

Agency workers are now entitled to the same basic employment conditions as permanent employees after twelve weeks in the same role.

Most of the responsibility for ensuring the regulations are not breached will be with agencies themselves. However, the employer your agency sends you to will have to give information about the terms and conditions given to their permanent employees. If there is a breach of the regulations, agency workers may find it useful to take advice from a specialist employment solicitor, and it may be possible to take action through the Employment Tribunal.

If you are self-employed, you may in some circumstances be classed as an agency worker under the new regulations. This is a complex area and well worth taking legal advice about if you are unsure about your status.

If you are an agency worker, have been in the same role or roles with similar responsibilities for twelve weeks or more, and think that your agency or the organisation you are working within is not giving you the same rights and responsibilities as a permanent employee, contact our employment solicitors for advice. Call us on 0800 422 0241 or complete our contact form and we will get back to you.