Law queries

* We have a lot of temporary workers in my work. I understand that there is a new law that will give them more rights. Can you tell me about it?

The new regulations were expected to come into force this month but the government has delayed their implementation until 1 October 2002. The regulations will give temps the right to be treated no less favourably than permanent employees in respect of their pay and other benefits, taken as a whole. Draft regulations issued earlier this year suggested that the law would apply only to "employees" (those with contracts of employment). It is possible that the final version will include workers employed under contracts to perform services which would be in keeping with the European directive on fixed-term workers.

More information: Labour Research, March 2002