How Employment Legislation Affects Recruitment

There are 11 main employment laws and legislations which can directly affect the recruitment process. Some of these laws will affect your recruitment more than others, but an awareness and understanding of each of them is a great way to ensure compliance within your company. So, today I’m going to tell you about each of them!

Employment Agencies Act (1973) –
Defines and regulates the actions of recruitment agencies and businesses in relation to the processes they administer.
Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Business Regulations (2003) –
Sets out how recruiters should deal with their clients and candidates.
Employment Rights Act (1996) –
Sets out and protects the contractual rights of employees.
Equal Pay Act (1970) –
Ensures that salary negotiations are not biased on gender.
The National Minimum Wage Act (1998) –
Ensures that the pay offered adheres to a legal minimum to allow for a decent living wage.
The Equality Act (2010) –
Protects job seekers from discrimination based on a wide range of subjects during every step of the recruitment process.
The Working Time Directive (1999) –
Guarantees the employee fair treatment in terms of working hours and time off for rest.
Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974) –

Allows ex-offenders to reapply for work without disclosing spent convictions, in order to remove bias from the decision making process.

Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act (2006) –
Prevents illegal employment in the UK by setting in place document checks to ensure the eligibility of every job applicant.
Data Protection Act (1998) –
Ensures the responsible management of any personal data relating to job applicants.
Gangmasters (Licensing) Act (2004) –
Regulates the agencies that place vulnerable workers in agricultural work, the shellfish collecting and packing industries.

I hope you now have a better idea of what each piece of employment legislation is and how it can affect your recruitment process. If you are unsure of which recruitment method is best for your business, we are now offering free recruitment consultations!