Following recent investigations, thirty-eight agencies in the teaching and childcare sectors have received warnings from the Employment Agency Standards inspectorate (EAS) for failing to follow the law.

Alarmingly, 11 agencies were warned for not following the correct procedures when carrying out identity and qualification checks on people who they intended to supply for work. Swift action was taken by the EAS to change how the agencies implemented their checks and documentation processes, although no workers had yet been placed.

In total, 50 agencies were inspected as part of a national project called Operation Hazard. London, Birmingham and Newcastle-Upon-Tyne were amongst the cities targeted.

In the course of the operation, 140 breaches were found in total. While most were relatively minor, some of the worst practices discovered included:

• Failing to agree terms with workers before trying to find them work.
• Not obtaining all the relevant information from the hirer about the job.
• Failing to give important written information to the worker and/or hirer about the job, including who was to show up and carry out the work, and when and where they were supposed to be there.

Lord Young, the Employment Relations Minister, stated: “Agencies in the teaching and childcare sectors should be especially vigilant that they are meeting all of their responsibilities. It is important that children are not put at risk.”

“Follow up investigations will take place to make sure that the agencies concerned have acted to change their ways. Agencies that continue to disobey the law could be prosecuted, hit hard with unlimited fines or even banned from operating for up to 10 years.”

Technorati Tags: Agencies, EAS, Operation Hazard