AQW 47093/11-15

Mr Stewart Dickson
Alliance Party
East Antrim

Tabled Date: 11/06/2015
Answered On Date: 25/06/2015
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Finance and Personnel to detail the number of temporary agency workers removed from their post in the Northern Ireland Civil Service for (i) failure to sign or return a ‘Regulation 10 Declaration’ waiving their right to equal pay under Regulation 5 of the Agency Workers’ Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011; (ii) asserting their rights to equal holiday and working conditions under Regulation 5 of the Agency Workers’ Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011; (iii) querying the legality of the contract of employment signed with the temporary work agency, or an ‘umbrella’ company to which the worker has apparently been assigned without signing a contract of employment; and (iv) instigating legal action against the hiring Northern Ireland Civil Service Department, a temporary work agency, and/or an ‘umbrella’ company for perceived breaches of equal pay, holiday and working conditions as stipulated by Regulation 5 of the Agency Worker’s Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011 between November 2011 and March 2015.

Answer:

(i)–(iii)This is a matter between the recruitment agency (or employer) and the worker. The Department does not hold the information requested.

(iv)No DFP agency staff were removed from their post due to instigating legal action. I do not hold information in relation to other departments.