ERB should not worry temp agencies says government

By BRIAN FALLOW

Temp agencies have no reason for concern about the implications of the Employment Relations Bill, says a spokesman for Labour Minister Margaret Wilson.

The bill, now being debated in Parliament under urgency, requires that when someone is hired and no collective agreement applies, the employee will receive a written agreement that has a description of the work, an indication of when and how it is to be done, and the pay.

The employee must also be given a "reasonable opportunity" to seek independent advice about the agreement.

The Recruitment and Consulting Services Association says temps are often required at short notice and that such requirements cannot be complied with in practice.

The minister's spokesman said the new law was not intended to change the arrangements under which agency temps worked.

The requirement for a written statement to be available at the outset of employment could reflect the "as and when" nature of the work, including the negotiation of duration of assignments and pay rates.

"This relates to the commencement of work with the employer," he said. "In this case the employer is the temp agency. It does not relate to the commencement of work under a contract for service, that is, services to a client of the temp agency."