Temporary workers present a solution during challenging economic times for employers, as they help bring flexibility to the workforce and to the business. However, as the number of hoops increases – especially under the Agency Workers Directive – will hirers want to continue to jump through them?

The Swedish Derogation contract may not longer be the silver bullet to address the obligations on agencies and hirers under the Agency Workers Regulations (AWR), as it often throws up more questions than it gives certainty. However, if you’re using a Swedish Derogation contract, here’s what you have to bear in mind.

If you ever encounter a discrimination claim, it will usually be on the grounds of disability, race, gender and age. However, there is another area of discrimination you should be alert to: discrimination on the grounds of philosophical or religious belief, which is contained in the Equality Act 2010.

More and more recruiters are finding themselves forced to sign up to contracts for recruitment services that have been drafted by hirers, often including wide-reaching and sometimes onerous indemnities. With the AWR rights in force, the trend is likely to continue and indemnities are likely to become all the more risky. But not all recruiters are aware of what they are signing up to.

Recruiters shy away from supplying self-employed workers because of the potential tax issues. However, with the surge in self-employment arrangements to avoid the AWR, is self-employment a solution to the AWR – or do the risks outweigh any potential benefit?