This Is Guernsey

By Simon Tostevin

REGULATIONS that came into effect at the end of last year define temporary and contract staff as ‘employees’. Atlas Recruitment director David Thompson said it was a significant change.

‘For the first time, temporary and contract workers who may not technically be employees of the financial services business - because they are employed and paid by an employment agency - will be employees of the financial services business for the purposes of screening.’

The regulations require financial services businesses to maintain appropriate and effective procedures when hiring employees, for the purpose of ensuring high standards of probity and competence.

‘We believe that the Guernsey Financial Services Commission would look to see that financial services businesses had satisfied themselves as to the adequacy of the screening procedures adopted by any agency providing them with temporary or contract staff.

‘The regulations do not require that the financial services business itself must conduct these checks directly, but they must be satisfied that adequate checks are being made.’

It is understood that the screening procedures may vary depending on the type of role that a temporary worker is fulfilling.

For example, it might be reasonable to expect verification of the qualifications of someone working as a client accountant, but that would not be necessary in the case of someone working as a messenger or document scanner.

‘At Atlas we have implemented procedures to cover the new screening requirements and would anticipate that this is something other recruitment businesses will also be doing.

‘So far as applicants are concerned, the main issue is that anyone hoping to do temporary work in Guernsey is likely to have to produce a current police clearance certificate before they can start.

‘They will also need to provide references that can be verified and if they have qualifications, such as in accountancy, they may need to be able to show evidence of this.’