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News article

26 September 2011

New Agency Workers Regulations will pose challenges for businesses

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PRESS RELEASE

With the Agency Workers Directive coming into force on 1st October, Angela Coleshill, Competitiveness Director at the Food and Drink Federation said:

“The guidance makes the legislation easier to understand and in places has come up with helpful solutions to some of the problems thrown up by the legislation, such as allowing agency workers to be paid in lieu for additional contractual holiday pay."

“However, the guidance has not addressed all the grey areas and questions remain unanswered, such as whether attendance bonuses are in or out of scope or whether hirers have to tell agency workers about a job if they intend to fill it with an existing employee to develop their career. However good the guidance is, it cannot overcome the fact that this difficult legislation will pose complex challenges for business at a critical time in the UK's economic recovery.”

Notes to Editors

1. The Agency Workers Directive comes into force from 1 October 2011. The regulations provide that agency workers employed by the same hirer for more than 12 weeks will be entitled to equal treatment in certain basic terms and conditions, including pay, as directly recruited employees of the hirer doing the same job.
   
   The Regulations also give agency workers certain 'day one' rights, including no less favourable access to collective facilities and amenities and the same opportunity as comparable employees of the hirer to opportunities to find permanent employment. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, has published guidance on the regulations.
   
   
2. The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) is the voice of the food and drink manufacturing industry – the UK's largest manufacturing sector. For more information about FDF and the industry we represent visit: www.fdf.org.uk.

More information

FDF Press team

Nicki Hunt on or 020 7420 7132 - nicki.hunt@fdf.org.uk

Rebecca Wilhelm or 020 7420 7140 - rebecca.wilhelm@fdf.org.uk

Sarah Jenkinson or 020 7420 7131 - sarah.jenkinson@fdf.org.uk

Anna Taylor or 020 7420 7118 - anna.taylor@fdf.org.uk

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