UK Statutory Instrument 2003 United Kingdom

Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003 (as amended)

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At a glance

Enforced by

Fair Work Agency

What's here

30 compliance obligations, 3 practical guides across 2 topics · 2 journeys

Who this Act binds

Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.

  • Trader 22
  • Any Person 3
  • Client 2
  • Employer 2

Plus 1 non-business duty on Crown ministers, regulators, local authorities or tribunals — shown collapsed under each section below.

Step-by-step journeys using this legislation

Walkthroughs that take you from a real business situation to compliance.

Relevant guidance

Practical guides for businesses affected by this Act, ordered by how closely they engage with it.

Supporting — topic alignment

2 guides

Mentioned in related content

1 guides

Other Acts binding the same actors

For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.

Traders also bound by 826 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Any Person also bound by 2338 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Clients also bound by 65 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Employers also bound by 694 other Acts (top 5 shown)

What this Act requires

Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.

Part I — GENERAL AND INTERPRETATION

Browse 4 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement

Part II — GENERAL OBLIGATIONS

Browse 3 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement

Part III — REQUIREMENTS TO BE SATISFIED BEFORE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED

s.key information document: employment businesses

Key information document: Employment businesses

  • Give workers a key information document before agreeing terms Trader
Browse 1 other section in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement

Part IV — REQUIREMENTS TO BE SATISFIED IN RELATION TO THE INTRODUCTION OR SUPPLY OF A WORK-SEEKER TO A HIRER

Part V — SPECIAL SITUATIONS

Part VI — CLIENT ACCOUNTS AND CHARGES TO WORK-SEEKERS

Browse 2 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement

Part VII — MISCELLANEOUS

s.027

Advertisements

  • Ensure recruitment advertisements contain specific required information Trader
s.028

Confidentiality

  • Protect the confidentiality of work-seekers' information Trader
s.029

Records

  • Keep records of work-seekers and hirers for at least one year Trader
s.030

Civil liability

  • Liability for damages caused by breaking agency regulations Trader
s.034

Review

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State must review agency conduct regulations every five years Crown / Minister / Government department
Browse 3 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.advertising in ... eea states

Advertising in ... EEA states

Schedules

s.sch001

(1) In regulations 7 (restriction on providing work-seekers in industrial...

  • Obtain hirer's agreement to varied contract terms before providing services Trader
s.sch002

(1) Every agency who at any time during an accounting...

  • Have client accounts inspected and reported on within 10 months Employer
s.sch002

(1) Every agency required to maintain a client account or...

  • Keep client account records for at least six years Client
s.sch002

Where an agency holds money relating to a single client...

  • Account to clients for interest on money held over 10 days Any Person
s.sch002

An agency which holds or receives money which includes client’s...

  • Handle client money: split or pay into client account within 2 business days Any Person
s.sch002

(1) Every agency shall at all times keep properly written...

  • Keep proper accounts and records for client money Employer
s.sch004

In the case of an employment business, any key information...

  • Keep copies of key information documents given to agency workers Trader
Browse 41 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
s.sch001

In this Schedule— “the 1976 Regulations” means the Conduct of...

s.sch001

(1) Subject to the following provisions of this paragraph, these...

s.sch001

(1) During the transitional period, regulations 2(2) (non-disclosure of information),...

s.sch001

(1) Regulation 8 (restriction on paying work-seekers' remuneration) shall not...

s.sch001

(1) Regulations 8 and 12 of the 1976 Regulations (records)...

s.sch002

In this Schedule unless the context otherwise requires— the expressions...

s.sch002

(1) The accounting period shall, for the purpose of paragraph...

s.sch002

Maintenance of client accounts

s.sch002

An agency may pay into a client account—

s.sch002

An agency shall not pay into a client account any...

s.sch002

An agency may withdraw from a client account—

s.sch002

(1) No money drawn from a client account under paragraph...

s.sch002

No sum shall be transferred from the ledger account of...

s.sch003

Schedule 3 para.wrapper1n2

s.sch003

Schedule 3 para.wrapper2n2

s.sch003

Schedule 3 para.wrapper3n2

s.sch003

Schedule 3 para.wrapper4n2

s.sch004

Date application received.

s.sch004

In the case of an agency that is permitted to...

s.sch004

Details of enquiries made under regulations 19, 20 and 22...

s.sch004

Work-seeker’s name, address and, if under 22, date of birth....

s.sch004

Any terms which apply or will apply between the agency...

s.sch004

Details of the work-seeker’s training, experience, qualifications, and any authorisation...

s.sch004

Details of any requirements specified by the work-seeker in relation...

s.sch004

Names of hirers to whom the work-seeker is introduced or...

s.sch004

Details of any resulting engagement and date from which it...

s.sch004

Copy of any contract between the work-seeker and any hirer...

s.sch004

Date application withdrawn or contract terminated (where applicable).

s.sch005

Date application received.

s.sch005

Details of each resulting engagement and date from which it...

s.sch005

Dates of requests by the agency or employment business for...

s.sch005

Hirer’s name and address, and location of employment if different....

s.sch005

Details of the position(s) the hirer seeks to fill.

s.sch005

Duration or likely duration of work.

s.sch005

Experience, training, ability, qualifications, and authorisation required by the hirer,...

s.sch005

The terms offered in respect of the position(s) the hirer...

s.sch005

Copy of the terms between the agency or employment business...

s.sch005

Names of work-seekers introduced or supplied.

s.sch005

Details of enquiries under regulations 18 and 20 about the...

s.sch006

Names of any other agencies or employment businesses whose services...

s.sch006

Date and copy of any agreement under regulation 23(1)(b).

Read the full Act on legislation.gov.uk (opens in a new tab)

Official guidance

Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.

Enforcement and responsible bodies

The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.

Fair Work Agency

Unified labour market enforcement body for Great Britain. Takes over National Minimum Wage enforcement from HMRC, enforces statutory sick pay and holiday …

Connected legislation

parent Act

These instruments amend, apply, or refer to this Act. They may not all create direct business obligations.

Made under

Employment Agencies Act 1973 1973 Primary Act

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