News & Events

Firms 'should consider temps to cover permanent staff training'

Date posted:

23rd June 2008

Temporary staff may be key to covering training undertaken by permanent staff, it has been claimed.

Employers will still need to consider temporary workers when permanent staff are on training under a new government initiative, the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) has said.

The REC made the comments in a response to a consultation paper about the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills' scheme by which 22 million workers can legally request training time.

Anne Fairweather, REC head of public policy, praised the proposals but said that 300,000 people were predicted to ask for such training each year and so the REC believed temporary or agency workers would be needed to cover for them.

She said it was "vital" that the government protected the temporary worker model, adding that any extra flexibility for staff needed to be matched equally for employers.

Earlier this month, the REC commented on a decision regarding the Agency Workers Agreement to give temporary workers the same rate of pay as an equivalent permanent worker after 12 weeks.

Chief executive Kevin Green said temporary workers contributed £23 billion to the economy and "should be rewarded".

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