How to Complain about a REC Member

Complaints & Disciplinary Procedure 
Professional Standards Committee
What we cannot deal with
How to Complain
What happens then?

Complaints & Disciplinary Procedure  

The REC accepts complaints and queries in regards to the standards of best practice by our Corporate Members i.e. recruitment agencies. It is a condition of membership that a member agency has in place a Complaints Procedure to deal with complaints.  

Therefore, before referring a complaint to the REC, we would encourage you to use the Complaints Procedure operated by the REC member, a copy of which should be provided to you by the agency concerned on request.  

If you have been through the agency’s Complaints Procedure and no satisfactory response or explanation is provided the complaint may be referred to the REC for consideration.    

The REC also accepts complaints in regards to individual Members of the Institute of Recruitment Professionals (IRP) e.g. recruitment consultants.  

Please note we can only consider those matters which fall under the REC Code of Professional Practice for Corporate Members and/or the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct for IRP Members and will advise on this as part of our assessment of your complaint.  

If the REC pursues a formal complaints investigation against a member it is considered under the REC Complaints & Disciplinary Procedure.  Complaints are dealt with in writing and any serious cases may be referred to the Professional Standards Committee (PSC).  

Professional Standards Committee  

As above, serious complaints cases may be referred to the Professional Standards Committee (PSC), as can cases where a member agency has not co-operated with a formal REC complaints investigation. The PSC, which comprises of members of the recruitment industry as well as representatives from the CBI and TUC (who look after the interests of businesses and workers), may reprimand or expel members, issue compliance orders or require inspections. Expulsions are publicised in the trade press and on this website.  

What we cannot deal with  

The REC Consultancy & Compliance Team are not able to:-

·         deal with matters of compensation

·         make an agency or individual apologise

·         investigate the conduct of an agency that is not a member of the REC

·         offer legal advice

·         intervene to decide disputes of a legal nature, or

·         determine commercial disputes, or those driven by competition, or get involved in contractual disputes where there is ongoing or imminent legal proceedings

·         investigate complaints under the Agency Workers Regulations 2010 (AWR) or AWR (NI) 2011

·         decide disputes between members and their employees or employers,

·         instigate a formal complaints procedure whilst any legal, tribunal or court action is ongoing or unresolved. Please refer to the legal factsheet for details

·         suspend or expel a member (this decision can only be made by the Professional Standards Committee)

Please see below for further information on the REC complaints procedure for complainants, incluidng a complaints webinar here.

 How to Complain 

Stage 1 – Complain directly to the agency·.  

Request a copy of the agency’s Complaints Procedure – this will detail how the agency deals with complaints received by them and the timescales they work to in responding to a complaint.·  

On receipt of the agency’s Complaints Procedure, get in touch with the agency 's named contact for dealing with complaints (or the Managing Director).  In your complaint please detail:- the name of the person you are complaining about, the nature of the complaint, the date the incident occurred and your desired outcome of the complaint.  

Stage 2 – Complain to the REC  

If after completing stage 1 you think there are unresolved issues that come under the REC remit (the FAQs may also assist you in clarifying this), you can refer the matter to the REC by completing the REC Complaint Form.  Please also ensure any documentary evidence is attached as our decision on how to proceed with your complaint will be based on the information provided.  Please click here to be directed to our downloadable Complaint Form.  

Please note:  

(i) we are unable to accept anonymous complaints  

(ii) a complaint must be made within one year of the event taking place  

(iii) the complaints procedure is full disclosure, so if your complaint is taken forward the agency (with your permission) will see what you have written; in turn you will see what the agency writes.  

Email: info@rec.uk.com  

Post: Customer Contact Team  

Recruitment & Employment Confederation
Dorset House, First Floor, 27-45 Stamford Street, London, SE1 9NT

If you have any problems completing the complaint form please contact us for assistance.  

For general enquiries please call 020 7009 2100 or e-mail info@rec.uk.com and we will advise. 

What happens then?

We aim to acknowledge a complaint received by the Team within 1 working day of receipt and a member of the Complaints team will aim to formally review a complaint within 15 working days, whereupon you will be contacted by the Assessor with their findings. If the Assessor considers that a formal investigation should be undertaken by the REC they will write to you to this effect and notify you of the anticipated timescale. If the Assessor considers that a formal investigation should not be undertaken at that time, they will advise you of any other options available to you as appropriate.  

We do appreciate courtesy to our staff whilst we are trying to help you with your complaint.  Please do note that any language or behaviour which our staff consider to be offensive or of a harassing nature, may result in any complaints investigation being suspended.