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Recruitment industry focused on helping unemployed, says REC

Unemployment in the UK has risen yet again to 2.26 million in the first three months of 2009, the highest total since November 1996.

The figures, published today by the Office of National Statistics and which cover the period until April, also showed that the jobless rate rose to 7.2 per cent, the highest for nearly 12 years.

Responding to these latest figures, Kevin Green, the REC’s Chief Executive said: "The rise in unemployment is expected, but still troubling. The recruitment industry is committed to providing a route of out of unemployment through temporary, contracting or interim opportunities. It has therefore never been more important to ensure that the temporary jobs market is not adversely affected by the introduction of regulations, such as the Agency Workers Directive. This must be delayed until the last possible date in 2011. 

 “All our efforts should be focused on moving the unemployed back into work as soon as possible rather than introducing regulation which could deter employers from the very jobs we need to combat the recession. Recruiters are working with their local Jobcentres to make sure that workers have access to all possible job opportunities."