How staffing agencies work & what they "forget to tell" when working with them

It is a very peaking fashion here in the city (London) and assume in quite loads of other places as well, that when agencies hire you: 

1. they don't give you contract (ALWAYS READ IT IF BY CHANCE YOU GET ONE!!!)

2. they don't tell you exactly how things work

3. they "forget to pay" for the full hours you worked for and most importantly...

4. unless they calculate it straight into your salary  they don't tell you that you are entitled to holiday pay (here you must find when the latest date each year is to request your holiday pay by. If they don't tell you and you don't ask, they can get away with: "it is not our fault" that you haven't received any holiday pay and because you went over the last closing day with the request they can "keep" the money, specially if there is a funny clause in your contract about it.)

 + + + The holiday pay rate is 12.07% on top of your  hourly wage. This figure is from the following: in a year there are 52 weeks with 5 working days, that equals with 260 days. From this as per the UK law the minimum entitlement is 20 days statutory holiday + 8 days bank holiday (5.6 weeks). You take away the 28 from the 260 so that means in a year you can work 232 days. If you divide the 232 with the 28 days then you'll get the 12.07% as a holiday rate timer. Always check your contract/ assignment or ask if you get the holiday on top of the wage they offer you or it is calculated in it!

Well there is a reason behind agencies doing all this tricks and treats kind a BSs. They are tricky or stupid (because there are some who are) and want the money!

Most of the time the money they get (hence the reason some of them are so big) is from the difference of your minimum wage that they give you and the money they receive from the actual hirer (company whom you work for). Though after 12 weeks of employment with the agency in the same position you should get the same salary as an employer who works directly to the same company in the same or very similar position, you more likely won't receive it. Why??? Because either your agency on paper swapped your assignment and "forgot" to inform you, or they were sending you on and off with big gaps back to the same place or in worst scenario they play along that "Come on, don't be stupid, such thing doesn't exist and be happy that you have a job" and the best part: some apply this legislation the most illegal way possible and ACAS won't help you, just the tribunal... So even though there is always a company where people are "Go happy, be lucky" (basically have no clue what's up) there are others who will mess around with you as they wish so please read thoroughly your contract and don't sign anything that you are not happy with. 

After the 12 weeks qualifying period for everyone in any role at any company you are entitled to the same basic rights (pay, holiday, in certain cases benefits etc.) as the people who are hired directly by the company (doesn't matter if it is a contract or permanent role) you will just be going there through the agency.

The reason why quite few agencies send you from one place to the other is because that way you don't stay with the same employer in the same role for a period of 12 weeks (or prolongate the period to accumulate the time and you might also give it up by then), and this way they can keep you on minimum wage/ low salary all the time and don't have to worry about someone telling on them that they don't provide work... 

Plus: If they write in your contract that your salary is confidential and you can be fired if you tell anyone how much you earn, and you will be contracted on minimum wage, just stand up and turn around, that certainly is a people exploiter agency! 

I don't like agencies... Every single one of them I went to are interested in their own well being only and treat new comers badly, plus the ones who actually work hard and amazingly well, they fuck them over even more... Or the other scenario they are so messed up that they can't figure out whether they should pay you or go bankrupt...

So yeah, learn these: 

+ Agencies are there only to get along if you are bored and would like to have something extra on the side, they will never look at you as someone who wants to progress as a professional or be a great worker to anyone

+ Never work with an agency who tells you what you have to do and what your duties are without giving you a contract, telling you about your rights, about the possibilities to progress and screw you over when it is about giving your pay + holiday pay.

+ If agency that asks you to do a min. 1 week full time unpaid training without guaranteeing work after, gosh run away from there... They won't be worth your time, invest in something more useful as most of the times the trainings they provide are just BS anyways only to cover their asses that they told you, but actually don't give a S* whether you've listened, understood it or not.

+ If an agency tells you to stay on line 24/7 and do what they ask you do to and won't give you work within matter of days, tell them to fuck off...

Really good agencies will work with you, are organised, don't bossy you around, and from day one, they'll explain you what's up and what you should deal/ count with. Ask for references from others if unsure.

Happy hunting and just think twice before you go to an agency to work through them and best of luck (which here won't really matter) ... One more thing to bear in mind: STAFFING AGENCIES ALWAYS CONSIDER YOU STUPID OR DANGEROUS but never clever! Pardon me for my language but this matter does deserve it and frankly is just frank and realistic :*