Thirteen recruiters in Corby, Northants, were found to have in been in breech of employment regulations by the government’s Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate following an investigation.

The worst offences included: workers being left unpaid for work they had done, employees being threatened with fines for absence and charging employees for services they had not received

Employment Relations Minister Pat McFadden said: “The government has doubled the number of Employment Agency Standards inspectors so that they can get out on the ground in places like Corby and ensure workers are not denied the decent rights that Parliament has legislated for.

“Follow up investigations will take place in Corby to make sure that the agencies concerned have changed their ways.  Agencies that continue to flout the law could be prosecuted, hit hard with fines or even banned from operating for up to 10 years.”

The Employment Agency Standards team took action following reports of improper activity in agencies supplying staff such as drivers and industrial manual workers.

The inspectorate declined to elaborate on the sectors involved when contacted by Recruiter.