With the introduction of the Agency Workers’ Regulations, which came into effect on 1 October 2011, HR have created a guidance document for managers to ensure that the responsibilities and implications for the College are fully understood and executed.
The new legislation provides agency workers with the same basic employment rights and working conditions as if they had been recruited directly by the College, after they have completed a qualifying period of 12 weeks. It also ensures they have access to College facilities and internal job vacancies from the beginning of their contract.
The new ‘Guidance for Managers when Engaging Agency Workers’ can be found here.
As an alternative to employing agency workers, managers are encouraged to consider employing casual workers where appropriate. Guidance from HR, ‘Engaging Casual Workers Guidance for Managers’, can be found here.