Brabners Chaffe Street Solicitors - Employment Services

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Employers warned on new laws for agency workers
30/09/2011

Leading North West law firm Brabners Chaffe Street is warning employers to be prepared for new legislation which will bring major changes to the rights of agency workers.

The Agency Workers Regulations, which come into force on 1 October 2011, mean agency workers will be entitled to the same pay and benefits as permanent employees after 12 weeks in a job. These include key elements of pay, duration of working time, night work, rest periods and breaks, annual leave and paid time off for ante-natal appointments. Also included are new entitlements for agency workers from day one of their assignment with regards to access to facilities at the workplace and the right to be notified of any relevant vacancies.

Paul Chamberlain, Employment Partner at Brabners Chaffe Street, is a nationally-recognised expert in the law relating to recruitment agencies and has played an active role in the response to the consultation on the Agency Workers Regulations. He says: “This is a powerful piece of legislation and if business are unprepared for the changes and fail to put the right systems in place in time, it could leave them vulnerable to employment tribunal claims as well as have major resourcing and financial implications."

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Note to editors

About Paul Chamberlain
Paul Chamberlain, Employment Partner at Brabners Chaffe Street, was appointed to the Recruitment and Employment Confederation's (REC) Agency Work Commission in 2008. Issues tackled by the Commission included the scope of the concept of 'equal treatment' in the Agency Workers Regulations and the possibility of alternative dispute resolution to avoid an upsurge in unwarranted tribunal cases.

Paul has been the appointed external legal adviser to the Association of Labour Providers (ALP) and its members for some time, as well as advising The Employment Agents' Movement (TEAM). He is considered as a leading expert on recruitment law.


For further information contact Paul Chamberlain at Brabners Chaffe Street on 0161 836 8800

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