agency work

[Thunderbird+]

Do agency workers have any rights or benefits, or are they just used as cheap labour ?

[jason1980]

In any business, when a business takes on agency workers you are to be treated as though you were his/her's own staff.

The workplace is also responsible for your health & safety as any other employee.

[spudqueen]

I worked as a 'temp' for Manpower many years ago and after a certain period of time you were entitled to holiday pay, we also got some free training (eg wordprocessing) in the office when we weren't allocated any work.

Working as a 'temp' at that period in time was perfect for me as I moved to a different area and could earn money each week whilst still looking for a permanent job, so even though I wasn't earning as much as I could have been had I been in a permanent job I was probably exploiting them as much as they were exploiting me.

[Hermia]

I imagine it depends on the job. I worked as a temp when I was younger and very well paid it was too. My present company has just got rid of all our cleaners and taken on agency cleaners because they don't have the same rights as permanent staff. I assume it must be cheaper for the company, although it does mean that we are working in a filthy environment as the agency staff don't seem to do much in the way of cleaning.

[jason1980]

Agency cleaners do have the same rights as permanent staff only it is with their own employer (the agency) that your employer will be paying for.

Your employer will just be invoiced a set fee which is treated as expenses rather than cleaners on payroll. He doesnt have to worry about holiday pay & sick pay as the agency handles it.

If you are working in a filthy environment because the agency staff don't do much in the way of cleaning - your employer will only get what he pays for. If he pays very little, he'll get very little.