Temporary staff employed through agencies are to receive equality with their permanent counterparts when they work with a company for more than 12 weeks under new legislation.

The new rules in the UK will benefit those who spend more than three months with the same company, who will see themselves get pay rises in order to come into line with those directly employed by the company.

Other benefits will include the installation of statutory company sick pay, as well as maternity leave being the same as permanent staff.

Communication Workers Union general secretary Billy Hayes said to Thomsons Benefits Online that this was " the best possible Christmas present."

This new legislation is designed to bring UK employment in line with the Temporary Agency Workers Directive from the EU. The directive was revealed in 2008, but is only now set to be enforced throughout the region to give protection to temporary staff.

Posted by Sarah Dixon