Your Legal Rights

Employment agencies and businesses are not allowed by law to charge you for finding you temporary work or permanent jobs (except in relation to theatrical performers and models and in certain cases au pairs). They must also not make their services conditional upon you using other chargeable services e.g. CV writing; training courses.  

• Obtain adequate information about you to enable them to select suitable placements or vacancies including confirmation of your identity, experience, training, qualifications or other authorisation necessary and that you are willing to work in a position before putting you forward.
• Not disclose information about you to third parties other than for the purpose of finding you work; for legal proceedings or to any professional body of which you are a member, without your consent.

In addition if you are looking for temporary work through an employment business they must agree with you:

• The terms and conditions and the basis on which you are engaged;
• The type of work you may be supplied to do
• The minimum rate of pay for such work,
• Intervals of payment
• Length of notice, if any
• Details of any paid holiday.

Any subsequent variations must be notified to you in writing.

Agencies must give you all available information about the nature of the hirer's business, the kind of work, the hours and the rate of pay applicable and make sure that you have any necessary qualifications and that your taking up such work will not contravene any laws.

Not prevent or restrict you from taking up employment directly with a hirer.

Not refuse to pay you because they have not been paid by the hirer.

Not supply workers as replacements for a hirer's employees who are involved in an industrial dispute.

In any advertisement quoting rates of pay, state the nature of the work, its location and the minimum qualifications required in order to receive such rates of pay

This is not an exhaustive list of the restrictions or obligations imposed on recruitment companies. If you need further information about these rights and the legislation covering employment agencies, you should contact:  

The Employment Agencies Standards Office
Department of Trade and Industry
1 Victoria Street
London SW1
Tel: 08459 555105.  

Or visit the DTI's website at http://www.dti.gov.uk/er/agency.htm 

In addition to the above obligations and restrictions REC members are required to adhere to the REC Code of Good Recruitment Practice which is available for you to view on our website.  

If you have a complaint about an REC member, which you are unable to resolve with the company concerned then please write with full details of your complaint to: 

Professional Standards Manager
REC
15 Welbeck Street
London
W1G 9XT