The government has introduced new rules cutting red tape on very short temporary agency assignments.
From April 6 

The regulations reiterate that an employment business must provide detailed information to both the candidate and the client when proposing a candidate to a client or offering work to a candidate. However, where the assignment is less than five days only the name and proof of identification is required. Similarly the recruitment business need only provide the name of the client and the duration or likely duration of the assignment if it is under five days.

It also makes it clear that if the recruitment company receives information that suggests that a job-seeker may be unsuitable for the position they must inform the client.

Commenting on the new rules, Anne Fairweather, head of public policy at the Recruitment and Employment Confederation, said: “This is a positive change for the recruitment industry. The REC has long argued that requirements to provide written notification on very short term assignments made no sense.  Workers and clients often received the information after the assignment had taken place.  The government has now seen sense and the new rules mean that assignments of less than 5 days will be less bureaucratic.”
 
Other changes to the Conduct Regulations will strengthen the rights of agency workers who can withdraw from service provision, e.g. accommodation, at any time without incurring any detriment or penalty providing 10 working days notice is given. For all other services, e.g CV writing, training or transport only 5 working days notice is required..