Temp workers' scheme is more than viable

18-Mar-2009

Thank you for publishing the news item on the temp pay insurance scheme (Recruiter, 4 March, p8).

My suggestion that the industry should have an ABTAtype insurance scheme to protect temporary workers’ pay if their recruitment agency goes bust was described as ‘not viable’ by the REC. Why is it not viable? The scheme need not be expensive and would probably be self-funding. The alternative — large numbers of temps going unpaid and the terrible publicity that would have for our industry — is unthinkable.

It does seem a shame that the REC will not take the lead on this. I plan to invite the finance directors of the leading recruitment companies to meet with me to discuss how such a scheme could be implemented.

John Bissell, senior partner, LBA