Resigning from an agency job

AJS321

Hi.

I'm currently work through an employment agency on an assignment that will be ending in a few weeks. Naturally, me and the other temps on the office who will be finishing the same time as me have started looking for other jobs.

We've already had one person resign to go and work elsewhere and I've heard someone else say that if you do this the agency can charge you a fee. I imagine they do this because if I resign I will be causing the agency to break their contract with the company to supply them with a workforce.

But I've never heard of this happening before and it's not mentioned in the termination of contract section in my contract with the agency.

Is this legal, is it standard practice with agencies, how do they calculate the fee and how can they enforce payment of it if I'm no longer working for them.

I just want to know where I'll stand if I get offered a new job before my current one finishes. I really don't want to have to wait until my current assignment ends before I start applying for jobs. This is the first job I've ever had through an agency so this is a situation I've never been in before.

Thanks for any help or advice.

[Deleted User]

Never been charged a 'fee'. I've had a few agencies high street and one man bands as it were. Most do not get in your way and start heavily forcing anything.

Last agency temping job I got to quit, I spoke directly to the client/employer as the agency were sadly useless and the not wanting to know type anyway and I felt it rude to the client to just wonder into the agency office next door without saying a word. I was new and hadn't really technically done any independent work/yet made a contribution and so in the client's own words no point in carrying on, fortunately, otherwise I'd have followed the contract supplied by the agent in terms of notice required. Only thing I would suggest is linking intention of notice with submission of time sheet as close as possible to avoid any muck up's... Better to be in the office/present say last day and get a live signature/instant approval there and then.

I recommend working notice where ever possible as may help in future though you can just as easily be asked to go immediately and so need to prepare for this, easier if you have seen what happened to other temps?

AJS321

Thanks for that.

I'm not sure how the agency I'm with will react.

But can they charge a fee if you leave early?

The company fully understands people are applying for other jobs and are letting us have time off for interviews.

patman99

No, they can't charge you a fee for leaving early.
Check your contract with the agency and you should find that they have a clause that states that you are on a zero-notice contract (thus they can stop you working at the end of the day and you can tell them you are leaving at the end of the day).

I have had many agency roles that I have left to move to permanent roles and have never had to pay any fee.

AJS321

patman99 wrote: »

No, they can't charge you a fee for leaving early.
Check your contract with the agency and you should find that they have a clause that states that you are on a zero-notice contract (thus they can stop you working at the end of the day and you can tell them you are leaving at the end of the day).

I have had many agency roles that I have left to move to permanent roles and have never had to pay any fee.

I've checked my contract and there's a 3 week notice period. Don't know if this is relevant to whether they can charge a termination fee or not.

xapprenticex

never heard of that before