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Employers taking on temporary staff to cover the festive season are reminded that they should allow them the same rights as other staff.

In the run up to Christmas, law firm DWF has warned that firms employing seasonal workers, such as those in the retail and leisure industries, not to be negligent in face of increased demand for staff.

Partner at DWF, Emma Harvey, commented: "Employers should not use their fixed-term status to avoid issuing them with an employment contract, or giving them paid holidays and similar benefits.

"However you may be able to justify not giving them a company car or pension benefits."

She set out suggestions for companies to ensure that workers' rights are not compromised. These included carrying out thorough pre-employment checks, paying temp staff at least the minimum wage, giving temps an exit interview and carrying out risk assessment to avoid exposure to injury in an unfamiliar environment.

Much research carried out in the past months has pointed towards the fact that students take on holiday work in order to help pay their way through university.

This includes the Royal Bank of Scotland's Student Living Index in September which found that two in five students take on work while at university.

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