The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has found that the oil & gas job board Total Link Care (TLC) website carried misleading statements, upholding two complaints brought by a former employee.

The claims relate to an employee development scheme operated by the company and the claim that "at present we have more than 500 professional staff working on contracts in 31 countries".

ASA found that there were only 476 staff working on contracts at the time of the complaint and that there was not sufficient evidence it had worked in as many countries. TLC noted in its defence that for several years the company consistently had more than 500 staff on assignments with clients, adding the number had since increased.

What appears to be a new version of the brochure is currently available on the website, stating: “At present we have more than 500 staff working on contract in over 25 countries.”

Regarding the development programme, a statement from the ASA says: “We considered the claims in the ad were likely to be interpreted as suggesting that TLC was a structured career development programme. However, the evidence submitted did not demonstrate that was the case, because it was anecdotal.”

According to the original advert, TLC was “investing in training and development to enhance the career skills of our personnel”.