Minister launches employment agency law consultation

Employment and Learning Minister Sir Reg Empey has launched a public consultation on changes to employment agency regulations.

The consultation contains proposals to exempt employment agencies that supply workers to fill permanent posts from carrying out certain suitability checks on work-seekers.

The Minister said: “Agencies that supply workers to fill permanent vacancies perform an important role in the local economy. It is important to remove some of the red tape, particularly in the context of a recession. Such agencies are presently obliged to carry out certain checks on a candidate’s identity and qualifications. I am proposing to remove this requirement in order to avoid unnecessary duplication, as the end employer must make these checks anyway. This proposal will also help innovative agencies that recruit permanent workers online.”

Agencies will still have to make the checks in respect of temporary workers.

The Department is also seeking views on a number of other agency law proposals, including changing the system with regard to up-front fees charged by entertainment and modelling agencies.

Full details of all the proposals are available from the Department for Employment and Learning website

Notes to Editors:

1.‘The Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005 - A Consultation’ can be found at www.delni.gov.uk.

2. In summary, the Department is also seeking views on measures to:

• better protect would-be entertainers and models who pay a fee for work-finding services;
• protect temporary workers from being obliged to opt-out of the Conduct Regulations;
• simplify ways in which agencies agree terms and conditions of use with permanent work-seekers and hirers;
• simplify the law relating to advertisements placed by agencies; and
• clarify the law and exempt the Northern Ireland Medical and Dental Training Agency from employment agency legislation.

3. The consultation closes on 28 September 2009.

4. Media enquiries to the Department for Employment and Learning Press Office on 028 9025 7872. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned