Agency Workers Directive

Despite ongoing rumblings, the Coalition Government has now confirmed that the Agency Workers Directive will come into force on 1st October 2011 without any further changes being made.

The effect of the Agency Workers Directive will be to provide equal treatment for agency workers, compared with permanent workers, in terms of basic working and employment conditions (including pay, holidays, working time, rest periods and maternity leave) once they have worked for the qualifying period of 12 weeks.

Agency workers will also gain a number of benefits from the first day of their assignment including:

• information about vacancies so that they have the same opportunity as other workers to apply for permanent employment;
• equal access to on-site facilities, such as child care and transport services; and
• improved rights to protect the health and safety of new and expectant mothers, including the right to reasonable time off work to attend ante-natal appointments and adjustments to working conditions and working hours.