12 week qualifying period undermines new Agency Workers Rights

Today new regulations come into force giving agency workers no less favourable treatment in pay, holidays and working time. In other EU member states equal rights for agency workers apply from day one. However in Britain the TUC conceded a 12 week qualifying period to overcome the resistance of big business and the (then) Labour Government to the Directive. The Mirror examines the loopholes which this concession will create: http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/investigations/2011/09/new-law-on-equal-pay-for-temps.html

After last year’s general election the Con Dem Government reviewed the proposed regulations (the implementation having been delayed as late as possible by Labour following CBI lobbying) but concluded that any reopening of the regulations would jeopardise the TUC concession:
http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/eiro/2010/11/articles/uk1011019i.htm

In Ireland, employer organisations are covetously eyeing the UK arrangements, to avoid the new rights coming into force on day one – the default position of the EU legislation:
http://www.businessandfinance.ie/bf/2011/9/intsandfeatssept2011/labourmarkettemporarysolutionw