Agency Worker Regulations
What is AWR?
The Agency Workers Regulations (AWR) was implemented in the UK on 1st October 2011. The purpose of the regulations is to provide temporary workers with equal treatment in terms of basic working and employment conditions as if they had been employed directly to do the same job. The rights will apply after a 12 week qualifying period.
Following the 12 week qualifying period the temporary workers will be entitled to equal treatment, including; pay, working hours, overtime, breaks, holidays and access to training and collective facilities. Equal treatment does not apply to sick pay or paternity/maternity leave.
What's included in the AWR?
When referring to conditions, the AWR is referring to:
- Pay
- Holidays
- Hours of work
- Night work
- Rest periods and breaks
- The right to hear about vacant posts within the business
- The right to use collective facilities such as a canteen, childcare facilities or transport services
What's excluded from the AWR?
The main employment conditions that are excluded from the AWR legislation are:
- Occupational sick pay
- Pensions
- Parental leave
- Redundancy payments
- Share schemes
- Long service award schemes