PCG calls for AWR clarity

The Managing Director of the Professional Contractors Group (PCG), John Brazier, said that \”The Agency Worker Regulations already exempt contractors working through their own limited companies and the genuinely self-employed. In our view this needs to be made as unambiguous as possible in the accompanying guidance. No room must be left for misinterpretation otherwise PCG members could find themselves mistakenly bound by protections they do not need or want. If this were to happen it could seriously impact their capacity to provide the flexibility that clients depend on. It is disappointing the Trade Union Congress were not amenable to changing the regulations to make them fairer for businesses and to enable the growth that is so desperately needed today in the UK. We now have to focus on developing the best possible guidance.\”

Coalition Government will not make changes to AWR due to legal situation

Earlier in the week Edward Davey, the Employment Relations Minister, announced that the Government will not be making any changes to the controversial Agency Workers Regulations (AWR), however he did say that the Government would work with business groups over the course of the next 12 months to help employers comply with their obligations. In a statement Mr Davey expressed ‘considerable sympathy’ for arguments against the new rules but said \”The Government\’s ability to make changes to address such matters are constrained by the fact that the Regulations are based to a significant degree on the agreement brokered by the previous administration between the CBI and TUC.\”

The head of employment policy at EEF, David Yeandle, said \”It is disappointing that the Government has not felt able to make some changes which would have made it easier for manufacturers to implement these Regulations. However, industry recognises that, if changes had been made, this could have put at risk the vitally important 12 week qualifying period before equal treatment has to apply. This would have been too serious a risk for the Government to take as retaining this key element of these Regulations will help to ensure that agency working remains a key part of the UK\’s flexible labour market.\”

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