Pimlico Plumbers ruling: trouble in the pipeline for recruiters?

A supreme court ruling on an employment dispute could have repercussions for recruitment agencies and their clients.

This week, the supreme court passed judgement on the case of Pimlico Plumbers, ruling in favour of an unsecured worker. It found that Gary Smith, who operated with the company for six years, had a relationship more like that of an employee than a contractor. Although Mr Smith could refuse work, other areas of his engagement were “inconsistent with his being a truly independent contractor.” At the same time, he did not receive leave or holiday pay. At one point, Pimlico Plumbers took away his work van after he suffered a heart attack.

The recruiting sector will be interested about this case, due to its possible implications for IR35 tax status. The government is still consulting on whether to role out the new rules to the private sector. Some within the recruitment industry have voiced concerns that it will leave agencies exposed to fees and unfair legal liabilities.

Seb Maley, CEO of Qdos Contractor, said “Following this decision, it is important that we do not group all self-employed workers under the same umbrella”. With a lack of clarity surrounding IR35, many recruiters have adopted a risk-minimising approach. This has led to some criticising the rules for reducing flexibility in a market whose resources are already being stretched.

NHS provides the lead for post-brexit recruitment strategies?

Like it or not, Brexit is the one news story that you cannot avoid. For recruiters, Brexit is likely to become a worse headache than GDPR, as the exit date draws near.

Workers’ rights, employment law, citizenship, tax, and data compliance could all be affected by the outcome of Brexit. That the outcome is, itself, still an unknown, is making it difficult to plan.

One way to establish at least some Brexit readiness is to look for leads across other industries. The National Health Service expects to face a significant operational impact from the loss of access to continental workers. This week, health professionals have outlined the need for coherent strategies within the NHS to meet these challenges.

Writing in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) , Health Foundation spokespersons James Buchan and Anita Charlesworth said that the UK’s approach to hiring international health professionals has been ignored for years.

Ten years ago, the parliamentary committee on NHS workforce planning reported a “disastrous failure” of co-ordination between domestic and international recruitment. The pair say that little in that time has changed – except for tighter budgets and growing staff shortages.

The article warns that political promises of “self-sufficiency” of doctors and nurses are “unlikely to happen in the foreseeable future”. The piece concludes with a call or greater co-operation between the health service and the government on overseas recruiting.

For recruiters, the troubles of the NHS provide a flavour for us all. As industries from healthcare to logistics and manufacturing lobby for special considerations post-Brexit, recruiters may feel that they are in need of clarity and assurances, too.

Army under fire for ‘exploitative’ social media recruitment

Controversy over the Army’s social recruitment campaign has exposed an interesting, ethical question about targeted jobs listings.

When does efficient advertising become exploitation? The Army has been criticised in the press for its use of targeted social media advertising around GCSE results day. The commercials, which promote the fact that you do not need formal qualifications to join the army, were widely condemned.

Rachel Taylor of the Child Soldiers International charity said that contacting teenagers at vulnerable moments was “exploiting the anxiety of those who may be disappointed with their GCSE results”.

The timing could certainly be seen as insensitive. But, in any other context, the campaign might have been praised for identifying its core demographics so thoroughly. Similarly, there will undoubtedly be interested teenagers who welcomed the outreach.

The outcry highlights the army’s unique set of recruitment challenges. Private sector employers are increasingly keen to seek out recruiters with pipelines into classrooms; and to capture young talent. If the army does not compete, it will risk losing out on top quality recruits. Yet, when it does attempt to connect with the next generation of school leavers, it faces an ethical backlash. It could be that, above all, the greatest obstacle for military recruitment, is one of image.

Kudos to you – with free resources for recruitment agencies

Recruiters are a resourceful bunch. Being on the frontline of employment gives recruiters a better understanding than most for the need to up-skill and re-train. In today’s jobs market, nothing stays still for very long.

So, the announcement that Kudos Training has made its recruitment masterclasses free for life will be welcomed by many. The online, multimedia courses cover every aspect of the recruiting game. The resources include bite-sized videos, as well as support documents and resources. The in-depth content offers pracitcal advice and strategies – from starting out, to growing a brand.

Free resources for recruitment agencies can be few and far between – so this is a fantastic opportunity. And, knowing that our readership is filled with avid upskillers, we thought that this would be invaluable news for everyone. You can watch the introductory video for Ku.dos Training here.