Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Agency workersEmployment lawLatest NewsHR practiceRecruitment & retention

Agency Workers Directive to add 10% to cost of filling short-term vacancies

by Greg Pitcher 27 Nov 2008
by Greg Pitcher 27 Nov 2008

One in two recruitment agencies believes the Agency Workers Directive will add 10% to the cost of filling a temporary vacancy.

The Agency Workers Directive was passed by the European Parliament last month – giving temporary workers in the UK equal rights to permanent staff after 12 weeks with an employer.

But a survey of 300 recruiters by industry body the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) found 48% thought it would bump of the cost of temps by a tenth.

Elsewhere, 57% said the average assignment went beyond 12 weeks, quashing theories that it would not have much practical impact, while one in four thought identifying equal pay would be relatively straightforward, while 35% said their clients would struggle to identify a comparable worker.

Two-thirds of respondents said the legislation would expose them to a greater risk of being taken to an employment tribunal. And four in 10 respondents though extra costs would be incurred by consultants being diverted from making placements to chase up equal pay information.

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Kevin Green, chief executive of the REC said: “Temporary work provides a vital route for people looking to get back into work, and for businesses that need a flexible workforce, so it is vital that UK implementation of the directive is both practical and workable for employers and recruiters – and that it doesn’t jeopardise job opportunities at such a crucial time.

“Our research shows that while recruiters are keen to make it work, there are some legitimate concerns over how it will be implemented in practice and how it will affect the use of agency workers in the long term,” he added.




Greg Pitcher

previous post
Pay cut misery for millions predicted as recession goes global
next post
Woolworths staff to be paid as administrator declares business as usual

You may also like

Why fighting the DEI backlash is about PR...

9 May 2025

Rumours during recruitment: how should HR respond?

9 May 2025

UK-US deal saves ‘thousands’ of jobs in car...

9 May 2025

Teacher apprenticeship route to be tied to school...

9 May 2025

Zero-hours workers’ rights to be extended from beyond...

8 May 2025

NHS worker awarded £29k after Darth Vader comparison

8 May 2025

Senior execs at BlackRock to work in office...

8 May 2025

CIPD appoints expert in AI to boost support...

8 May 2025

Preparing for a new era of workforce planning...

8 May 2025

British Steel to resume recruitment

8 May 2025

  • 2025 Employee Communications Report PROMOTED | HR and leadership...Read more
  • The Majority of Employees Have Their Eyes on Their Next Move PROMOTED | A staggering 65%...Read more
  • Prioritising performance management: Strategies for success (webinar) WEBINAR | In today’s fast-paced...Read more
  • Self-Leadership: The Key to Successful Organisations PROMOTED | Eletive is helping businesses...Read more
  • Retaining Female Talent: Four Ways to Reduce Workplace Drop Out PROMOTED | International Women’s Day...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+