Zoe Helen Evans, Director of Isis Management Consultancy Limited, and the company, was required to pay £2,030.00 in fines and costs after prosecution for withholding pay from seven workers. She was also banned from being a Director or Company Secretary of any limited company for a period of 1 year.
Ms. Evans, who traded under the name of Kensington Mayfair in Loughborough, either failed to make full payment to the workers or failed to pay them at all. Some of the workers were supplied as catering or hospitality staff on short term bookings and most were students at Loughborough University looking for part-time work.
EAS inspectors issued numerous warnings to the Directors regarding their failure to pay the workers but they ignored the requirements of the law and prosecution was pursued.
Employment Relations Minister Norman Lamb said:
“This verdict sends out a clear message that we will continue to take action against rogue recruiters who don’t clean up their act. I am pleased to say that most agencies play fairly. It’s only the minority who continue to ignore their responsibilities - but they undermine the system for the rest and we will take action against them.”
Notes to Editors
- The Employment Agency Standards inspectorate is part of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. The Inspectorate carries out inspections of agencies on the basis of perceived risk of non-compliance and investigates complaints about agency conduct.
- Agencies that break the law could face prosecution and be subject to unlimited fines for the most serious offences. Rogue agencies could also be banned from operating for up to ten years.
- Guidance for agency workers can be found at http://www.direct.gov/agencyworkers.
- Guidance for employment agencies can be found at http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/employingpeople
- The inspectorate carries out regular targeted investigations. Recent investigations were carried out in Swansea as joint exercises with the H M Revenue and Customs National Minimum Wage Enforcement Team.
- Ms Evans pleaded guilty as Director, and also on behalf of the company (Isis Management Consultancy Limited), on 23 April 2012 to 7 charges of withholding wages from workers contrary to Regulation 12 of the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003 and section 5(2) of the Employment Agencies Act 1973.
- BIS's online newsroom contains the latest press notices, speeches, as well as video and images for download. It also features an up to date list of BIS press office contacts. See http://www.bis.gov.uk/newsroom for more information.
Notes to Editors