Driving recruiters hit with 10-year ban following EAS investigation
Following an investigation by the Employment Agency Standards inspectorate (EAS), the directors of an HGV recruitment company have been banned from running an employment agency for up to 10 years.<
Following an investigation by the Employment Agency Standards inspectorate (EAS), the directors of an HGV recruitment company have been banned from running an employment agency for up to 10 years.
A hearing at Leeds Employment Tribunal heard how the businesses run by David Allon, Marc Hedley, Sian Pemberton and Angela Roberts broke the law by:
- failing to keep records
- withholding payment of wages to drivers;·
- failing to issue terms of employment to drivers;·
- failing to carry out checks on drivers, such as confirming their identity or that they held the correct driving licences; and
- supplying drivers who did not hold the required licences.
The agencies, which supplied HGV drivers to hirers in Yorkshire and the North of England and traded under various trade names including Driverwise Recruitability, Driverwise Recruitment, Driverwise/Staffwise, Recruitability, Recruit and Recruit Employment. They have been dissolved while the businesses have ceased trading.
Allon and Hedley were directors of Driverwise while Allon was also a director of Recruit Employment. While Pemberton was a director of Recruitment Employment, Roberts was the company secretary.
At the tribunal Allon was banned from running or being concerned with the running of an employment agency or employment business for the maximum period of 10 years, while Pemberton, Roberts and Hedley were banned for five years.
Lord Young, Minister responsible for Employment Relations, says: “Rogues like these give the recruitment sector a bad name so I am delighted to see the tribunal’s decision putting the brakes on their unacceptable behaviour.
“The EAS will continue to take action against unscrupulous agencies to protect workers and hirers from illegal practices. This case sends out a clear message to the industry that we will act against those agencies who break the law.”
EAS brought this case under the Employment Agencies Act 1973. The misconduct was brought to their attention by a total of 26 complainants, including drivers and hirers.
