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There is much debate over the future of temporary jobs in the UK as new regulation is set to change the rules for temping staff this October.
There are over one million people working in agency roles and temporary jobs in the UK and soon they will be entitled to exactly the same conditions as their permanent peers after just three months in the job.
This will mean that anyone who has worked in the same temporary job for 12 weeks will be entitled to the same pay, holidays and working conditions as all permanent workers at the company.
So, in theory, this could lead to much better pay and working entitlements for temporary staff and agency workers.
However, some professional bodies and institutes have warned that the new rules are more likely to lead to many temporary jobs being lost in the near future as companies will simply not be able to afford to pay them the same wage as permanent staff.
David Frost, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), summed up the feeling of many employers groups’ when he said: “Many firms tell us that the new directive will mean they will use fewer agency workers. Since businesses use temporary workers to improve the flexibility of their workforce and to cover any short-term periods of increased demand or staff absence, it is reasonable to assume these jobs will be lost and productivity hit.”
Only time will tell whether this new EU-enforced legislation will serve to improve the lot of people working in temporary positions or not. We are all in favour of students getting more pay and better rights as temporary workers – but not at the expense of fewer suitable jobs being available for students.
If you think the new regulations won’t have much impact on student jobs then you should start looking for a temporary job as soon as possible. We highlight tons of gap year opportunities, holiday jobs and temporary positions throughout the year. Take a look now at our Gap Year & Temporary Jobs section for more details.
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