Council guilty of breaching Agency Workers Regulations

-

tribunalA decision by an Employment Tribunal on Tuesday 5 February confirms that more than 150 Barnet Council workers are likely to receive compensation worth hundreds of thousands of pounds.

The Employment Tribunal in Watford ruled that the Council failed to provide information on the number of agency workers it employed, which breaches the rules introduced under the Agency Workers Regulations (AWR).

This case shows the importance of seeking professional legal advice from experts who know the AWR and the implications that can arise if they are breached.

Adrian Marlowe, Managing Director of recruitment specialists, Lawspeed, said:

HRreview Logo

Get our essential weekday HR news and updates.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Keep up with the latest in HR...
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
Optin_date
This field is hidden when viewing the form

 

“This brings clearly into focus the fall-out that can arise if hirers do not comply with the AWR.

“This comes at a time when many agencies are reporting difficulties in obtaining accurate information on comparable pay rates and holidays.”

The Tribunal made protective awards of 60 days’ and compensation of 40 and 50 days’ pay in respect of two transfers and a redundancy exercise that took place last year.

The Judge in the case described Barnet LBC’s refusal to provide information as “a relatively serious failure”.

Pamela Flores is an events professional with experience at Symposium Events, a UK-based conference and events organization. She has worked in editorial and event coordination roles within the HR and expatriate management sector, contributing to the organization of major conferences including the Expatriate Management and Global Mobility conference. Her background spans online editorial work and events management within the professional conference industry.

Latest news

Curtis Holmes: Payroll is the driver for employee engagement

Payroll has long been treated as a back-office necessity: essential, but not something that shapes culture or drives engagement. This no longer stands.

Labour market yet to show major AI impact on jobs, govt adviser says

A government economic adviser has challenged predictions of widespread AI-driven unemployment, arguing labour market data has yet to show disruption.

Young workers ‘pressured into signing NDAs after workplace injuries’

Workers say injuries are being hidden behind confidentiality agreements while financial pressures leave many afraid to challenge unsafe conditions.

CIPD recognises 30 HR leaders driving change across UK workplaces

The CIPD has unveiled its HR30 list for 2026, recognising senior people leaders whose work has delivered measurable impact across organisations and workforces.
- Advertisement -

Brits dream of being their own boss, but still cling to the monthly pay cheque, survey reveals

Britons say they like the idea of self-employment, but most still value the security and stability of traditional jobs.

AI Coaching Won’t Replace Managers. It Will Expose Coaching Debt.

As AI coaching expands, employers may gain a clearer view of where manager support is falling short.

Must read

James Bywater: How to create a globally-consistent assessment process

Multinational employers recognise the benefits of standardising core operations and processes across their different countries. IT, finance and marketing were the first to cross national borders. Now, it’s HR’s turn, as global organisations are looking to achieve savings and increase efficiency by implementing more consistent HR processes around the world, including recruitment and assessment.

Michael Palmer: Five unexpected areas that HR needs to cover

In many businesses, HR becomes the keeper and enforcer...
- Advertisement -

You might also likeRELATED
Recommended to you