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October 2011
New Agency Worker Regulation (AWR) comes into affect
The Government has introduced new Agency Worker Regulation (AWR) changing the way businesses introduce new staff on a short term basis.
The Agency Workers Directive came into force across the UK on October 1 which will provide temporary workers equal rights to permanent workers following 12 weeks working on an assignment.
Equal treatment applies to various terms and conditions including those related to pay, working hours, overtime, holidays, rest periods, access to vacancies and to other facilities such as car parking and canteens.
It does not include, however, pension provision and occupational sick pay, nor will the regulations change the employment status of temporary agency workers.
According to the regulations, a break of more than six weeks between assignments will reset the qualifying period.
However breaks between assignments due to a number of specified reasons, such as illness, maternity or pre-determined closure periods (e.g. school closures during holidays) will not break the qualifying period.
LINK: New law to bring major changes for temporary workers
