Contractors can download a free new resource to help them determine their status under the Agency Workers Regulations, which comes into force on 1 October 2011.
ContractorCalculator’s Contracting and the Agency Workers Regulations (AWR), published in association with Parasol, shows contractors how to turn the new regulations into a source of competitive advantage. It also outlines what trading options may best suit their contracting career.
Dave Chaplin, CEO of ContractorCalculator and the white paper’s author says that all contractors will be affected by AWR regardless of how they trade. “So they really should read the white paper now, because they are running out of time to determine whether they are in-scope of the regulations and what action they might need to take as a result.
“As our recent contractor survey highlighted, although over half of contractors have never heard of the Agency Workers Regulations, 84% plan to learn more,” he continues. “That’s why we’ve created this white paper: to provide comprehensive yet accessible guidance for contractors who want to understand how AWR will affect them.”
According to Rob Crossland, chief executive of Parasol, umbrella contractors trading via compliant umbrella solutions providers are already nine-tenths of the way towards fulfilling the requirements of AWR. He says: “Contractors should reap the benefits of greater protection offered by the Agency Workers Regulations without suffering unduly from increased costs and administration.
“Contractors can use this white paper as a resource on which to base questions to their service providers and agencies to guide them on what action to take once AWR comes into force.”
Contracting and the Agency Workers Regulations (AWR) confirms that umbrella company contractors will be in-scope of AWR, and highlights that limited company contractors may be exempt. It details the history of the legislation and how contractors can use their knowledge of the law to gain competitive advantage and win new contracts. The formal guidance from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) is reviewed and the trading options open to contractors in a post-AWR contracting sector are discussed.
