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Agency workers

Temporary agency workers offer great flexibility as an additional labour resource. They can fill in staffing gaps, often at very short notice, and can be engaged for anything from a few hours to weeks or months at a time.

Under the Agency Workers Regulations 2010, on completing a qualifying period with a hirer, agency workers qualify for the same basic employment conditions that they would have had if directly recruited.

If an employer wishes to take on an agency worker as a permanent member of staff, it may have to pay a “transfer fee” (sometimes known as a “temp to perm” fee) to the agency supplying the worker.


    • Agency workers
    • Latest News
    • Labour market

    Day-one flexible working right ‘words on a page’ without enforcement

    by Rob Moss 6 Dec 2022
    by Rob Moss 6 Dec 2022

    Chair of BEIS committee says new laws on flexible working will only matter if there is effective enforcement.

    • Agency workers
    • Employee communications
    • Latest News

    Employers and agencies torn over use of temps to cover strikes

    by Jo Faragher 17 Oct 2022
    by Jo Faragher 17 Oct 2022

    It may now be legal to cover striking workers with temporary staff, but an increasing number of recruitment agencies are refusing to supply staff. What are the ethical and legal considerations for HR? 

    • Agency workers
    • Latest News
    • Industrial action / strikes

    Unions take legal action over agency worker strike regulations

    by Ashleigh Webber 20 Sep 2022
    by Ashleigh Webber 20 Sep 2022

    Eleven trade unions and the TUC are taking legal action over new regulations that allow organisations to use agency workers during strikes.

    • Agency workers
    • Employment law
    • Latest News

    Liz Truss: What will the new PM mean for employment law?

    by John Hayes 6 Sep 2022
    by John Hayes 6 Sep 2022

    Speculation is rife for what the new Prime Minister intends for employment law, but John Hayes believes the most likely outcome would be mere tinkering.

    • Agency workers
    • Employee relations
    • Latest News

    Harrods threatens to use agency staff if strike goes ahead

    by Ashleigh Webber 17 Aug 2022
    by Ashleigh Webber 17 Aug 2022

    Harrods has told employees that it will consider using agency staff to cover shifts during industrial action if a strike over pay goes ahead.

    • Agency workers
    • Employee relations
    • Dispute resolution

    MPs vote to replace striking staff with agency workers

    by Ashleigh Webber 12 Jul 2022
    by Ashleigh Webber 12 Jul 2022

    MPs have approved controversial plans to allow employers to utilise agency workers while staff are on strike.

    • Agency workers
    • Employee relations
    • Latest News

    Government to repeal agency workers ban during strikes

    by Ashleigh Webber 23 Jun 2022
    by Ashleigh Webber 23 Jun 2022

    The government is to repeal legislation banning employers from using agency staff to cover workers during strikes.

    • Agency workers
    • Employee relations
    • Dispute resolution

    Rail strike: PM calls for pay compromise to end dispute

    by Ashleigh Webber 21 Jun 2022
    by Ashleigh Webber 21 Jun 2022

    The prime minister is to call for a 'sensible compromise' on pay as the biggest rail strike in 30 years begins.

    • Agency workers
    • Dispute resolution
    • Latest News

    Shapps suggests repeal of agency worker ban during strikes

    by Jo Faragher 13 Jun 2022
    by Jo Faragher 13 Jun 2022

    The government could repeal a ban on the use of agency workers to replace striking staff members when rail companies go on strike.

    • Agency workers
    • Latest News
    • Employment contracts

    P&O Ferries denies claims about cuts to agency workers’ wages

    by Ashleigh Webber 25 Apr 2022
    by Ashleigh Webber 25 Apr 2022

    P&O Ferries has been forced to reinstate agency workers' original contracts after it allegedly attempted to push through a pay cut by asking workers to sign new ones.

    • Absence
    • Agency workers
    • Coronavirus

    Airlines and ports hit by staff shortages

    by Jo Faragher 4 Apr 2022
    by Jo Faragher 4 Apr 2022

    EasyJet and British Airways have been forced to cancel flights due to staff shortages, just as passenger numbers rise for the school holidays.

    • Agency workers
    • Case law
    • Employment law

    Court of Appeal: agency workers do not have right to apply for permanent jobs

    by Ashleigh Webber 21 Feb 2022
    by Ashleigh Webber 21 Feb 2022

    Agency workers do not automatically have the right to be invited to apply for a directly employed vacancy.

    • Coronavirus
    • Agency workers
    • Self-isolation

    ‘Urgent’ call for former teachers to return to classroom

    by Jo Faragher 20 Dec 2021
    by Jo Faragher 20 Dec 2021

    The Department for Education has issued a call for former teachers to return to the classroom to minimise the disruption...

    • Agency workers
    • Latest News
    • Industrial action / strikes

    Union accuses Clarks of using agency staff to cover striking workers

    by Ashleigh Webber 10 Nov 2021
    by Ashleigh Webber 10 Nov 2021

    Clarks has been accused of using agency workers to cover tasks usually performed by workers who are on strike at...

    • Agency workers
    • Latest News
    • Recruitment & retention

    ‘Scandalous’ umbrella companies should be banned, urges TUC

    by Personnel Today 29 Jul 2021
    by Personnel Today 29 Jul 2021

    The government should ban the use of umbrella companies to employ workers and make organisations liable for upholding workers' rights, the TUC has said.

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