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| Hunts Post (Editorial) - 18 October 2006 |
18th October 2006 |
Things all temporary workers should know!
Meyer-Scott Recruitment tries to offer job seekers the best possible service. If we don't believe we can help you we will almost certainly know a 'man that can.' Whilst there has been a lot of publicity about recent changes in legislation surrounding Age Discrimination and the Minimum Wage there are many other things the job seekers need to understand when dealing with their recruitment agency.
First of all don't register with just one agency... or even two. There are an incredible number of agencies in Huntingdon and just one agency, Meyer-Scott Recruitment in St Ives. So it always makes sense to register with us plus one or two Huntingdon agencies. What job seekers need to realise is that we all deal with different client organisations; whilst clients may use several agencies to fill the same job, Meyer-Scott have sole agency with many local businesses based in St Ives.
Minimum Wage
With all the hype that has been in the press and the media it amazes us how many workers still have no idea that they are being underpaid. Briefly, the main rate for workers, that is the minimum wage, has increased from £5.05 to £5.35 per hour. This change was implemented from 1st October 2006, so check your payslip and ask questions if you have doubts.
Passport
If you've ever registered or are about to register with an agency, they will probably ask you for you for some form of Photo ID, i.e. a driving licence or passport. We just need to see this and take a copy for our files. Why? Because, it's a criminal offence for an employer to employ an individual who does not have the right to live and work in the UK. The onus is on the employer, so the agency may still be liable in respect of temporary employees on its books. There is no reason why an agency should retain any original documentation not addressed to us.
Holiday Pay
At Meyer-Scott candidates often ask us about Holiday Pay. There seems to be a lot of confusion on this particular subject. So here are some general pointers:
Most workers have the right to four weeks holiday pay. If you are a part-time worker, a fixed term worker or a worker in your first year of employment, you are entitled to paid holiday in the same way as full-time workers.
You are entitled to 4 weeks/20 days in a leave year. Ask your agency about how they determine Leave Year. At Meyer-Scott it is one year from the day you start temping for us. With some agencies it runs from the 1 January and finishes 31 December. Others start on 6 April and finish on 5 April the following year. All three of these scenarios amount to the same thing because whichever system your agency uses you accumulate holiday pay from the day you start work!
Notice Period. Check your contract, it should detail how much notice you need to give your agency. At Meyer-Scott if you want 1 days holiday we require 2 days notice, for 1 weeks holiday pay we require 2 weeks notice and so on.
Bank and Public Holidays. Don't assume that your agency is automatically going to pay you any accumulated holiday pay for bank holidays. Some candidates prefer to 'save up' all their holiday pay for actual holidays, or as a nest egg for when the assignment is terminated or they go permanent. The point is you need to tell us - it's your money and we don't assume when you're going to need it.
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