APSCo (The Association of Professional Staffing Companies), has responded to the UK Government’s upcoming changes to the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003, which will come into effect on 8 May 2016.

 “While we would have welcomed a complete overhaul of the current regulations – as was discussed during the previous administration – generally speaking, these changes are unlikely to have any great impact on our members’ operations,” Samantha Hurley, Operations Director at APSCo said.

 “The Conduct Regulations are designed to improve the effectiveness of the enforcement of employment rights to protect vulnerable workers from exploitation. These are focused on protecting lower skilled, lower paid workers and so are unlikely to affect APSCo members who operate in professional labour market sectors."

“The biggest disappointment will be the fact that there is still no more clarity or simplification of the overly complicated rules around opting out - and also the restrictions on charging clients (when they take contractors) also known as the 8/14 week rule, which remain incomprehensible to most people.”

The UK recruitment industry is regulated by the Employment Agencies Act 1973 and the Conduct Regulations 2003. For more information on the Government’s conduct regulations, click here.