Equal Treatment for Agency Workers

After six years of debate, the hotly contested terms of the Temporary Workers Directive were finally approved by the European Parliament on 22 October. This marks the final stage of the European legislative process. The UK will now have three years to introduce legislation which ensures agency workers get the same pay and conditions as if they had been recruited directly by the employer after being engaged for just 12 weeks.

In addition, the Government is expected to pass the Pensions Bill into law later this month. From 2012, employers will be required to automatically enrol into a "qualifying workplace pension" all workers, including agency workers, unless they are under the age of 22 or earn less than the minimum earnings threshold (currently £5,035).

We also provide an update on the bumpy ride the revision of the Working Time Directive is currently having through the European Parliament.

Read Wragge & Co's expert analysis of the latest legislative developments regarding agency workers.