More than twice as many candidates in the Channel Islands sat the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) entry-level certificate this February compared with October last year.

Twenty new consultants sat the Certificate in Recruitment Practice exam last month, compared with seven candidates in October.

The rise can be attributed to significant changes in local employment law which came into force on 1 July 2005.

“The major provisions in the Employment (Jersey) Law 2003 which are having a big impact on recruiters are employees' rights to minimum rest periods, annual leave and to bringing a claim for unfair dismissal,” said Lucy Strahan, solicitor and commercial advisor at the REC.

“A second phase, which will include discrimination issues, is due to be implemented over the next couple of years.”