Time for Salary Reviews? Don’t Forget to Factor in Your Agency Workers!

It’s that time of year again! When you are undertaking your annual salary reviews there is a lot of information to consider. Have you benchmarked salaries in line with your competitors? Are you accounting for differences in performance evaluations? Are you addressing specific concerns highlighted in employee feedback? But amongst all these questions it’s important that that the wages you pay to your agency workers, especially those who have been employed for over 12 weeks don’t fall by the wayside.

Agency workers fall under the Agency Workers Regulations legislation which gives agency workers certain day one rights, and the right to equal pay treatment after a period of twelve weeks.

Understanding Agency Worker Rights After 12 Weeks

The UK has the largest contingent workforce in Europe with over 1.62 million people employed as temporary workers. With so many businesses reliant on agency workers to deliver their products and services it’s important that employers understand their responsibilities around agency workers’ rights and salaries.

Once agency workers have 12 weeks of continuous service with you, they are entitled to the same basic terms and conditions of employment as your permanent employees. This includes key elements such as pay, working hours, holidays, and other employment benefits.

You must ensure that agency workers receive equal pay to their permanent colleagues, considering any bonuses, overtime, or other allowances and that they receive the same working hours and holiday allowances as permanent employees in equivalent roles.

Advice on Calculating the 12-Week Period

The 12-week period for agency workers is calculated based on continuous service with the same employer, performing the same or similar roles. Any breaks in service that are less than six weeks will not interrupt the continuity of service.

For agency workers with variable working patterns, the 12-week period is determined by calculating the average weekly working hours over the preceding 12 weeks.

You may only delay payment for a reasonable period while you gather proof of hours worked. You cannot withhold payment for agency workers because of performance.

The Benefits of Agency Workers

There are many benefits to bringing in agency workers alongside your permanent teams. Whether you are looking to cover unexpected sickness, for support on short term projects or to maintain productivity through seasonal peaks, agency workers offer:

• • Flexibility and Agility

    Agency workers can help you be more flexible. You can hire extra support for individual projects or scale up or down according to demand without the commitment of taking on permanent members of staff.

• • Quick Solutions

    If you have an unexpected absence or spike in demand agency workers can quickly step in to maintain productivity, without the long lead times hiring a full-time member of staff causes.

• • A Diverse Talent Pool

    Agency workers are a great way to introduce fresh perspectives and diverse talent to your team. Many agency staff have extensive experience in their roles and incredible skills sets. By using them to assist on projects you can improve creativity, innovation and problem-solving.

• • Cost-Efficiency

    Employing agency workers can be a cost-effective solution, especially during peak periods. You can avoid the financial commitments associated with permanent hires while still benefiting from skilled and experienced professionals.

• • Possible Long-Term Assets

    Agency workers aren’t just temporary solutions; the very best agency staff have the potential to become long-term members of your team either on an agency basis or by transitioning to permanent work.

If your business is completing it’s annual pay reviews, then some of your agency workers may also be entitled to an hourly rate pay review, so make sure you reach out to your recruitment partner and discuss what steps you need to take to ensure you are compliant.

Still on the fence about what agency workers can do for your business? Just ask some of our happy clients about the benefits of finding temporary staff for business support roles with Australasian Recruitment Company. One of our temporary staff has proven so invaluable they have worked for the same client for over six years.

“Australasian Recruitment Company is always the first call we make because of the guaranteed efficient service they provide but also the confident, hardworking and friendly temporary staff they always provide us.”
– Human Resources Department, International Luxury Fashion Brand

“I have often contacted Australasian with urgent requirements and have always had someone within a few hours. I trust in the quality of the staff they provide so much that I don’t need to interview the candidate.”
-PA to Managing Director, Construction Director and Operations Director, Office Refurbishment Company

“Australasian go out of their way to understand not only the requirements of each role but also our culture and ethos, and as a result they always provide the exact candidate we need. It would not be an exaggeration to say they are as adept at identifying talent for our roles as our internal recruitment team.”
-Talent Acquisition Team Leader, Human Resources Department, Education Charity

For more information on the rules and regulations around agency workers you can explore the government guidance; or contact us today to discuss how agency workers might help meet your needs with one of our expert consultants.

At Australasian Recruitment Company we have over 20 years’ experience connecting employers with permanent, temporary and seasonal business support staff they need to meet their goals; we can even help you find agency staff who can start today!