Feeling confused about what your rights are as an agency worker? We have broken down what AWR is and what you have to do to ensure Agency Worker Regulations are being upheld!
What is AWR and do I qualify for it?
AWR, put simply, stands for Agency Workers Regulations. These came into effect from October 2011, laying out the rights of agency workers. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Day 1 rights – access to facilities usually available to directly employed staff (ie car parking and canteens), as well as being included in communications regarding internal vacancies and the opportunity to apply to them
- After 12 consecutive working weeks in the same role with the same employer – the agency workers’ rights expand to include working condition regulations available to directly employed staff, such as breaks, annual leave and, crucially, equal pay.
You can accumulate your 12 weeks, even if you only work for a few days each week. However, you must work within 12 separate consecutive weeks to qualify. If for any reason you are absent during this period, the clock will pause and restart when you return to work. Any gap of 6 or more weeks will mean your qualifying period will start again.
School holidays or any other forced closures will not restart the clock. During these periods the clock is paused and will restart when the school reopens. For instance, if you are working the same role before and after the summer holidays the working weeks will continue to count towards your qualifying period.
These regulations protect temporary workers hired through an agency. Despite these regulations being in place since 2011, not all temporary workers are aware of their rights.
What do I have to do to ensure Agency Worker Regulations are being upheld?
At System People we GUARANTEE that you will see these rights come into force as soon as you have passed the qualifying period without having to chase anyone. This means that after 12 weeks of continuous service with the same employer your pay and holiday allowance will be reviewed and changed accordingly if required.
For more information about AWR speak to Liza, Jayne or Sarah or visit the gov website.
Click here to see our full FAQ on Agency Worker Regulations.