Agency workers
During the year our staff gave expert witness evidence in several cases at Employment Tribunal concerning the use by departments of agency workers.
These cases revealed that, at least in the past, departments and agencies may have used agency workers in quantity and over long periods to augment their own staff. The use of agency workers is not captured by the general requirement of appointment on merit on the basis of fair and open competition. Agency workers remain either in self-employment on in the employment of the agency providing their services.
We shall be pressing the Cabinet Office to carry out more extensive research into the current use of agency workers. We shall want to be satisfied that agency workers are used only to meet short-term need.