AWR 'unlikely to have hit contractor jobs'

Contractor jobs do not appear to have been hit by the recent implementation of the Agency Worker Regulations (AWR).

The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) has been monitoring the effects of the regulations since they were introduced last October. The latest readings found that there has been a slight decrease in temp billings.

However, this was attributed to the poor state of the economy rather than any impact form the AWR.

Indeed, the future outlook for contractors and other temporary staff looks positive, with 87 per cent of employers surveyed planning to grow or maintain their temporary staff levels over the course of the next 12 months. Just 13 per cent stated that they intend to decrease their usage.

Tom Hadley, director of policy and professional services at the REC, commented: "It is now over 100 days since the AWR came into force. Despite the slight dip in the number of placements highlighted in last month’s Report on Jobs, overall demand remains strong.

"Temporary and contract staff will continue to provide employers with a key means of bringing in the right skills at the right time."

He added that the feedback from different sectors remains mixed, although the overall benefits of using agency staff appear to have been recognised by all.