Recruiters’ feedback will help to produce the best possible guidance on new Agency Workers Regulations (AWR), according to an official from the Department for Business Innovation & Skills (BIS).

The official was speaking at an event hosted by the Association of Recruitment Consultancies (ARC) and key representatives from BIS on draft guidance on AWR issued on 4 April.

The official said: “The seminar that ARC hosted proved extremely valuable in helping us with our work on the AWR guidance. To be able to gather so many salient points on the draft version not only served as an excellent opportunity for us to fully understand any remaining worries that those in the recruitment industry might still have, but willultimately help us produce the best possible guidance for the new regulations.”

Key issues addressed included in the talk were:

• what constitutes a ‘profession’

• clarification of the definition of ‘business in your own account’

• a vote by attendees that it would not be helpful to include self-employment tests in the guidance on the basis that a tick-box approach would open recruiters up to too many risks

It was also acknowledged that “one-hour employment contracts” do not comply, and the Swedish Derogation model needs further clarification to ensure that employers are not in breach of the AWR.