Agency Workers Directive Passed By EU Parliament

This week the European Agency Workers Directive has been passed by the European Parliament.
MEPs voted in favour of paying temporary agency workers the same as permanent staff.

Following a deal struck between the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and the TUC, UK agencies will be allowed to delay imposing the equal pay day regulation until after a 12-week qualifying period.

Other member states are now legally required to give equal rights to temporary workers from their first day on the job, unless a similar domestic agreement can be reached.

The Directive proposes that there should be equal treatment of permanent and agency workers in respect of:

• working time

• pay

• specified maternity rights

• prevention of discrimination.
  

The full details of the directive will have to be debated by MPs before it is passed into UK law.