When is an agency worker an employee?

The issue of employee status is rapidly becoming a minefield for recruitment agencies and their clients. Failure to keep up to speed with the constantly changing legal position can prove very costly.

In Cable & Wireless v Muscat, for example, the Employment Appeal Tribunal held that an agency worker was an employee, despite the contract between agency and worker stating otherwise.

This may pave the way for agency workers to claim full entitlement to employee rights and compensation -- including unfair dismissal.

The decision raises some important issues, including:

-Are agency workers entitled to employment rights?

-How should end users of agency workers respond?

-How can recruitment agencies protect existing business?

This Lawspeed seminar focuses on the status of agency workers in the light of recent cases, the implications for recruitment agencies and end users, and possible courses of action.

In particular it looks at recent relevant cases, contracts and terms, and risk management strategies.