8th April 2006, 02:35 PM
How an agency works
This is from my experience temping in accounts work but should be very similar for archaeology work.
You put your name on their books, they keep a database of all the people that want work and their qualifications/experience. This should be free.
When a client needs workers the agency checks the database for people with the right qualifications/experience etc. and submits these (having checked the workers availability) to the client. The client chooses the ones they want and the job is offered to the worker.
The worker is told the rate for the job and that is what they are paid, less tax and NI, by the agency. The client pays a fee to the agency, usually the amount of wage plus a percentage.
Workers are not guaranteed work for 52 weeks of the year. They would normally claim dole for weeks they don't work.
I'm not sure what the current situation is regarding holiday pay but it used to be included in the wage paid.
You can turn jobs down or find jobs by other means, you are not tied to the agency.
I found that, if I was looking for work, more would come if I kept in frequent contact with the agency.
Maybe archpeople can confirm all this is correct.
Hope this clears things up a bit.
E
This is from my experience temping in accounts work but should be very similar for archaeology work.
You put your name on their books, they keep a database of all the people that want work and their qualifications/experience. This should be free.
When a client needs workers the agency checks the database for people with the right qualifications/experience etc. and submits these (having checked the workers availability) to the client. The client chooses the ones they want and the job is offered to the worker.
The worker is told the rate for the job and that is what they are paid, less tax and NI, by the agency. The client pays a fee to the agency, usually the amount of wage plus a percentage.
Workers are not guaranteed work for 52 weeks of the year. They would normally claim dole for weeks they don't work.
I'm not sure what the current situation is regarding holiday pay but it used to be included in the wage paid.
You can turn jobs down or find jobs by other means, you are not tied to the agency.
I found that, if I was looking for work, more would come if I kept in frequent contact with the agency.
Maybe archpeople can confirm all this is correct.
Hope this clears things up a bit.
E