UK – Ministers launch HMRC crackdown on companies that deny work rights to self-employed

UK Ministers have ordered an HMRC crackdown on firms that use large numbers of self-employed or agency workers in order to deny them employment rights, reports the Guardian.

The crackdown follows an investigation into the low pay of self-employed couriers who work for Hermes, a UK courier company.

Treasury...

Europe – Growth in agency work for October

The average number of hours worked by agency workers across Europe in October grew 2.8% year-on-year compared with the same period last year, according to figures from the World Employment Confederation Europe (previously known as Eurociett).

The figures showed that Denmark had the highest growth at 10.3%...

UK – Hundreds of jobseekers fall victim to recruitment scam (BBC)

Hundreds of jobseekers may have been exploited as part of a recruitment scam carried out by a man using the name John Phillips, who is alleged to have offered non-existent jobs and charged applicants up to £480 in "accreditation fees", reports the BBC.

The BBC's Inside Out London programme...

Europe – EU citizens work 258 hours less than Americans

According to a joint study from the German Research Institute for the Study of Labour (IZA), ‘Hours Worked in Europe and the US: New Data, New Answers’, Americans work 258 hours more than EU citizens, which on a per day basis, results in an hour of overtime for Americans.

The study, put together by...

Germany – Amadeus FiRe reports positive revenue, temporary staffing segment softens

Amadeus FiRe (AAD: GR), the German staffing firm, reported revenue for the nine months ending 30 September 2016 of €128.9 million, an increase of 1.6% compared with €126.9 million during the same period last year.

World – Suspected LinkedIn hacker arrested in Prague

A Russian hacker suspected of carrying out a hack of LinkedIn has been arrested in the Czech Republic, and the US is seeking to extradite him to face trial in San Francisco, according to US officials familiar with the case.

The LinkedIn hack in 2012 compromised over 100 million users' information, including...

UK – Outsource UK provides upbeat trading update

Private recruitment firm Outsource UK has provided a trading and operational update for the full year ending 31 May 2016 with reported revenue at £66.4 million, up 41% on the previous year. Net fee income is also up 28% to £5 million, resulting in pre-tax profits of £1 million, a growth of 97% on...

UK – Number of temporary employees fall in August, self-employed numbers increase

The number of temporary employees in the UK fell by 0.4% in the period from June to August 2016, compared to the same period last year, according to figures from the Office of National Statistics.

The figures showed that from June to August 2016 there were 1,658,000 temporary workers in the UK, compared...

France – Adecco launches Adecco Analytics division

Adecco France has announced the creation of Adecco Analytics, an internal division that aims to make digital transformation a strategic priority.

The role of the division is to build on the algorithmic processing of data to develop tools for professional employment and human resources. Adecco states its...

Sweden – Uniflex reports decline in Q3 revenue

Swedish staffing firm Uniflex (UFLXB: SS) reported revenue of SEK 304 million (€31.3 million) for the third quarter ending 30 September 2016, a decrease of 9.5% compared with SEK 336 million (€35.8 million) during the same quarter last year.