Welcome

Start People is a recruitment agency based in Durham and Manchester. We are a group of passionate recruiters who deliver a broad range of talent and labour solutions. Working with small medium enterprises and corporate businesses, our single source offering enables us to deliver true added value through our partnership approach to our business relationships.

We partner our candidates with the right employer allowing you to secure the best career opportunities in the market place. Our customers work with us to fuel their growing businesses with new talent ensuring our candidates can maximise their potential.​

About Start People

At Start People Ltd we specialise in delivering a range of temporary, contract and permanent recruitment solutions throughout the Commercial, Engineering, Logistics and Manufacturing.

This handbook will provide you with some important information about working with Start People and the policies and procedures which will apply to you. It is important that you read this information carefully and that you seek clarification from your Start People contact when needed. You may also receive a client-specific handbook, which will provide you with further information specific to a particular assignment.

In addition to this Handbook, you will also receive a Key Information Document (KID), and a Confirmation of Assignment (COA); all of which will contain specific details about your assignment and your engagement with Start People.

Ethical Recruitment

Start People is a GLAA licence holder. This means that:

• You will never have to pay to register or to receive work (this includes giving money, gifts, vouchers, food etc. in exchange for work). This is illegal in the UK.
• We look out for signs of labour exploitation and human trafficking and we take action if we have any suspicions.
• We ensure that you are placed into a safe working environment, you are paid no less than the National Minimum Wage (NMW) and that you understand your contract and working conditions.
• We are always here to help you. Contact our confidential worker helpline on 0161 713 0268 if you have any concerns relating to labour exploitation, human trafficking and bribery. This line is manned by Start People staff 08:00 – 17:00 Monday to Thursday and 08:00 – 15:00 on a Friday.

Our Core Values

integrity – We treat our candidates alike with honesty and sincerity. We aim to be reliable, transparent and ethical at all times.

challenge – We aren’t afraid to challenge each other in order to be the very best in everything we do with a passion that underlies a focus on continually improving

excellence – We’re not prepared to be second best at anything and constantly strive to achieve our full potential every day, working hard whilst still having fun

Payment of wages

It is important that you clock in/out (or sign in/out) at your place of work – failure to accurately do this will compromise our ability to pay you correctly each Friday. The money will clear in your account no later than close of business on Friday

Wages are paid on a weekly basis, one week in arrears. Method of payment will be by direct credit into a bank / building society account of your choice each Friday. You must have your own bank account or a joint bank account which you have access to. Should there be any changes in your circumstances, please inform your Start People contact immediately.

Your weekly payslip will be emailed to you each week. Instructions on opening your payslip will be provided in the email. If you change your email address please advise us asap.

Any pay queries should be directed to your Start People contact, or by replying to the email with your most recent payslip on with details of your query.

We will require your National Insurance number as we are obliged by law to deduct National Insurance from your earnings and will tax you under the ‘Pay As You Earn’ (PAYE) scheme.

Hours of work

The length of an assignment and the number of hours you work each week may vary. There may also be occasions when no work is available, and you are not entitled to receive any pay when you are not on an assignment.

Punctuality

When you begin an assignment, you will be advised of the start and finish times. You must make every effort to arrive in sufficient time to start work at your agreed start time. As we wish to provide the best possible service to our Clients, we take a serious view of lateness unless it is caused by circumstances beyond your control. Persistent lateness will result in the termination of your assignment.

Location of work

You have no permanent place of work and your place of work will vary according to each assignment.

Termination of assignment

In accordance with your contract, an assignment can be ended at any time by yourself, the client or Start People.

When an assignment ends, Start People will endeavour to find you an alternative assignment which matches your knowledge, skills and experience. If you no longer wish to be considered for other assignments, please request your P45 and outstanding holiday pay from your Start People contact.

Agency workers regulations 2010 (AWR)

After completing a 12 week AWR qualifying period, you will be entitled to receive the same basic employment and working conditions as if you had been recruited directly by the client. This includes: basic pay, overtime rates and holiday accrual etc. Your Start People will advise you of any applicable increases. Please note that the AWR qualifying period is affected by holiday, sickness and shutdown.

Pension

Start People use Now Pensions as its pension provider. Subject to qualifying eligibility criteria, you will be automatically enrolled as a member of this scheme after you have worked for Acorn for three months. If you wish to opt-out of the scheme, you must follow the instructions provided to you by Now pensions via email shortly after your enrolment. You will be required to make a weekly contribution to your pension and Start People will make a contribution too.

You will receive correspondence regarding the pension scheme during the course of your assignment. Further details about the Now Pensions scheme, including conditions of eligibility, can be found at https://www.nowpensions.com/

Start People cannot provide financial advice, so you must seek advice from Now Pensions or your Financial Advisor.

Trade union membership

Start People does not formally recognise a trade union, however all Agency Workers are free to join a trade union of their choice.

Sickness

Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)

You will be entitled to receive statutory sick pay (SSP) if;

• You are on an assignment when you become sick.
• Your average weekly earnings are at or above the Lower Earnings Limit (set by the Government). If your average weekly earnings are less than the Lower Earnings Limit, you will not be entitled to SSP and no payment will be made.
• You are absent from work due to sickness for more than three days (the first three days of sickness absence are known as ‘waiting days’ and no SSP is paid for these first three days).
• You provide Start People with the following documentation:
  • A self-certification form, if your absence lasts seven calendar days or less and / or;
  • A ‘fit note’, which you must obtain from your doctor, if your absence lasts eight calendar days or more.

It is possible that during a period of sickness, a client will request a replacement worker. If this is the case, you will be informed that your assignment has ended. In these situations, you are no longer eligible to receive SSP as you are no longer on an assignment.

If you are ineligible for SSP for any reason, you will be issued with a SSP1 Form, which may enable you to obtain SSP from an alternative source.

Medicals

Start People reserves the right to require workers to have a medical examination by an Occupational Health Specialist or Independent Medical Adviser, with any report made by the doctor supplied to the Company. If it is necessary to seek information from your own doctor or specialist, this will be done in accordance with the Access to Medical Reports Act.

Unauthorised absence

Unauthorised absence, or failure to follow the correct absence reporting procedure may result in the termination of your assignment.

Should you be unable to attend work for whatever reason you must message your Start People contact. This is extremely important. If you fail to turn up to work without notifying Start People you could jeopardise your assignment and future jobs offers.

If you find the work unsuitable for whatever reason, please finish the shift and then notify Start People. We will try to find suitable alternative work. Do not walk off site.

Absence in the food industry

If you are working for one of our clients in the food industry, there are strict rules about sickness absence and returning to work after absence. People who work around food while suffering from certain illnesses are at risk of contaminating the food, surfaces the food may contact, and other people they work with.

If you are suffering from an illness that could be transmitted to another person via the food you are handling, then you are required by law to take time off work.

You cannot attend work if you have any of the following symptoms; infected wounds, skin infections, sores, sickness or diarrhoea. You shouldn’t return to work for 48 hours after your symptoms stop.

Working time regulations

The working week

The maximum working hours, under the Working Time Regulations, is an average of 48 hours per week over a 17 week reference period. An opt out option is provided as part of the registration process.  If you wish to change your mind at any point then please inform your Start People contact.

If you do work more than 48 hours per week, it is recommended that you work no more than 60 hours per week for health and safety reasons.

Rest periods

You are entitled to the following rest breaks:

• 11 hours’ rest from work in each 24 hour period.
• A 20 minute break if the assignment lasts more than six hours per day.
• A minimum of one day’s rest from work each week or two days per fortnight.

You must ensure that you have sufficient rest in order to protect your health and safety and that of your colleagues.

Young workers

If you are under the age of 18, you;

• Cannot work more than eight hours in any day or 40 hours in any week.
• Cannot work more than five days in any week.
• Cannot work at night (working at least three hours in the period between 11pm and 6am).
• Are entitled to a rest break of 30 minutes if the assignment lasts more than 4½ hours.

Holiday entitlement

• The Start People holiday year starts when you first start your assignment and runs for a Calendar year.
• You will begin accruing holiday from the first day of your assignment.
• You will be entitled to a minimum of 5.6 weeks holiday per holiday year. This will be pro-rata’d if you start/finish during the holiday year.
• Your holiday entitlement may increase if you complete the AWR qualifying period (after 12 working weeks in an assignment) and you will be advised of this in your assignment details notification.
• Holiday entitlement will be accrued at the rate of 12.07% of the hours you work each week. You can only take as much holiday as you have accrued.
• Your holiday pay will based on an average of all pay received over the last 52 weeks in which work was done, or less if you have not yet worked 52 weeks. Weeks where you were off sick, receiving maternity / paternity pay, or didn’t work, will not be included.
• Your average weekly pay may fluctuate as the amount of pay that you earn on a weekly basis may increase or decrease depending on how many hours you work.
• Your holiday entitlement includes 8 statutory Bank Holidays. Therefore, you must request a Bank Holiday as holiday, if you wish to be paid for it (and you are not working).

Booking holidays

• Due to European Legislation it is our responsibility to retain your holiday pay and pay it to you as and when you actually take holidays, this means you will accrue Holiday Pay for every day you work.
• All holidays must be approved by the company you are assigned to work at – Start People cannot authorise time off as we do not control holiday diaries, we need to be advised of your time off once the site has approved it so we can arrange any holiday pay
• Paid leave must be requested via your designated Start People contact in writing via email.

• All accrued annual leave must be taken during the holiday year in which it accrued and none can be carried forward to the following year. Any annual leave which has been accrued and not taken will be lost.
• You are responsible for ensuring that paid holiday is requested and taken.
• Prior to requesting a holiday, you will need to check that you have accrued sufficient holiday entitlement.

Holidays – Frequently Asked Questions

Where does 12.07% come from?

There are 52 possible working weeks per year. 52 – 5.6 holiday weeks = 46.4.

5.6 weeks holiday / 46.4 possible working weeks = 12.07%

If I regularly work 6 or 7 days a week, do I accrue more holidays?

No. Under the Working Time Regulations, holiday entitlement is based on a working week of 5 days and working 6 or 7 days does not mean that you will accrue more holiday. You should also have sufficient daily and weekly rest so should not be working 6 or 7 days on a regular basis. Please speak to your Start People contact if you are concerned about your working hours.

Can I be paid for holidays that I don’t take and receive payment in lieu?

No – under the Working Time Regulations, holiday pay can only be paid in lieu on termination i.e. when a P45 is processed. This is because you must have sufficient rest from work. All accrued and untaken holiday will only be processed if you no longer wish to be engaged by us and request a P45.

If I am off sick, can I receive SSP and holiday pay at the same time?

No. If you are off sick (and have provided a doctor’s note) but would prefer to receive holiday pay than SSP, you can use holidays but you cannot receive SSP and holiday pay to cover the same day. You would need to contact your Start People contact and put your request to receive holiday pay instead of SSP in writing.

Client rules and regulations

You are required to comply with any rules, regulations, policies, procedures and practices that are specified by any client, for whom you are working, during an assignment.

Social Media

Access to social networking sites during working hours is strictly forbidden unless authorisation is obtained from your Line Manager.

Your use of social networking sites may impact on Start People and its business. Such impact includes potentially causing damage to its reputation, loss of confidential information, or exposure to other liabilities such as claims of discrimination, harassment or workplace bullying. The content of any communications or comments posted on a social networking site must not damage or bring into disrepute Start People, its staff, clients or candidates. Therefore, if you use social networking sites, even where this is not in the workplace or is outside of working hours, you are prohibited from:

• Engaging in any conduct or posting any comment which are detrimental to Start People or its clients.
• Engaging in any conduct or posting any comments which could be derogatory to another person or third party or which could constitute unlawful discrimination or harassment.
• Recording any confidential information regarding Start People (or any of our client companies) on any social networking site or posting comments about any business related topics such as company performance.

You may be required to remove postings that breach the above guidelines.

Alcohol and drugs

You must not attend work under the influence of alcohol and / or drugs. Start People and its clients reserve the right to conduct alcohol and / or drug testing of workers, where appropriate, and to deny workers access to, or remove them from, premises if such tests are positive. If you test positive, you will have your assignment terminated.

Sexual Harassment

All agency workers are entitled to be treated with dignity and respect. This means freedom from sexual harassment, feeling safe and supported, and having access to redress if such behaviour does arise.

Sexual harassment takes many forms but whatever form it takes, it is unlawful under the Equality Act and it will not be tolerated. We are committed to ensuring that reasonable steps are taken to prevent sexual harassment to all agency workers.

Sexual harassment is unwanted conduct of a sexual nature which has the purpose or effect of violating a person’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for that person. Sexual harassment may be committed by a fellow worker, an agent of an organisation, or a third party. It does not need to occur in person. It can occur via digital means including social media sites or channels. Someone may be sexually harassed even if they were not the target of the behaviour.

If you are subject to, or a witness of, sexual harassment, you can attempt to address the matter informally with the alleged harasser if you feel comfortable doing so. For serious or prolonged sexual harassment, you should bring the matter to the attention of your Start People contact.

Equality and diversity

Start People agency workers are treated solely on the basis of their merits, abilities and potential and all recruitment, selection and training processes are free from discrimination on the grounds of the following protected characteristics:

• Age
• Disability
• Gender re-assignment
• Marriage or civil partnership
• Pregnancy or maternity
• Race (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin)
• Religion or belief
• Sex
• Sexual orientation

Bullying, harassment and discrimination are unacceptable and should you be found to be subjecting colleagues, customers and / or clients to this behaviour, your assignment will be terminated with immediate effect.

If you feel that you have been harassed, bullied or discriminated against during your assignment, please make your Start People contact aware at the earliest possible opportunity. Complaints of this nature will be handled sensitively and will be investigated thoroughly.

Dress code and personal appearance

You should present yourself for work in clothes that are acceptable to the type of assignment you are undertaking. Some clients may require specific dress standards or uniform to be worn for an assignment. You will also be expected to follow any client specific rules and guidelines relating to personal appearance, for example concerning visible body piercings.

IT Systems

During your assignment, you may be given access to the client’s IT system and you must at all times adhere to the client’s IT Policy.

Data Protection

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into effect on 25 May 2018 and changes data protection legislation in the UK. Start People is required to process your personal data in order to provide work finding services. We must process personal data (including sensitive personal data) so that we can provide these services and in doing so, we act as a data controller. This is why we have asked for your personal data on the registration form that you will have completed during your registration. When we process your personal data we must do so in accordance with data protection laws. Those laws require us to point you to a Privacy Statement which is available on our website.

You must ensure that any data that you come into contact with during an assignment is also processed in accordance with data protection legislation. You might be required to read, sign and understand a client’s data

Maternity absence

As you are not an employee, and are engaged on a contract for services, you are not entitled to take a period of maternity ‘leave’ and you will instead be entitled to maternity ‘absence’.

If you are pregnant, you must inform Start People, in writing, by no later than the 15th week before the baby is due. Please note that when working in certain industries, it may be necessary to inform Start People and the Client of your pregnancy at an earlier stage due to health and safety reasons e.g. if you are working with certain chemicals. You must take compulsory maternity absence in the two weeks after your baby is born or four weeks, if you are working in a factory.

As you will be taking a period of maternity absence, you do not have an automatic right to return to the same job. When your maternity absence ends, please contact your Start People contact and they will endeavour to find you a different assignment; if the original assignment is no longer available.

You will not accrue holidays while on maternity absence; this only applies to employees on a contract of employment. Any holidays that you have accrued prior to maternity absence, should be taken before your maternity absence begins.

Maternity pay

Subject to the following eligibility criteria, you will be eligible to receive up to 39 weeks of Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP). SMP is paid at 90% of your average weekly earnings for the first six weeks and 33 weeks at the lower of either the standard SMP rate, or 90% of your average gross weekly earnings. The remainder of any additional maternity leave will be unpaid.

In order to qualify to be paid SMP:

• Your average weekly earnings must be at least equal to the lower earnings limit (LEL).
• You must give the correct notice.
• You must provide proof you’re pregnant (via a MATB1 Form).
• You must have been working for Start People continuously for at least 26 weeks up to the ‘qualifying week’ (the 15th week before the expected week of childbirth).
• You must / will be working in the ‘qualifying week’.

If you do not qualify for SMP, Start People will send you a SMP1 Form, which you can take to Jobcentre Plus who will advise if you qualify for maternity allowance, which is paid by the Government.

Paternity pay

Paternity absence is available to the father of a newly born child, provided they have responsibility for the child’s upbringing. Eligible workers will be able to take up to 2 weeks paternity absence and this can be taken as 1 week, 2 consecutive weeks, or 2 separate weeks (it cannot be taken as odd days). This leave will be paid at the current statutory paternity pay rate (SPP). Fathers have up to 52 weeks from the birth to take the time off and receive payment.

To be eligible for paternity absence and pay:

• You must have been working for Start People continuously for at least 26 weeks up to the ‘qualifying week’ (the 15th week before the expected week of childbirth).
• You must give the correct notice of 28 days.
• Your average weekly earnings must be at least equal to the lower earnings limit (LEL).
• You must notify Start People in writing, in the qualifying week, when the baby is due, when you wish to take your absence leave and how much leave you want to take.
• You must provide a declaration confirming that you have, or expect to have, responsibility for the child’s upbringing and a copy of the MATB1 Form.

Bereavement leave

There is no statutory entitlement for time off to deal with bereavement (with the exception of the death of a child under 18, or a still birth after 24 weeks). We will, however, work with you and endeavour to support you through such times. Any requests for time off will be dealt with on an individual basis and any time off may be taken as either unpaid leave and / or holiday, depending on your holiday accrual at the time of the request.

If you sadly have to deal with the loss of a child under 18, or a still birth after 24 weeks, you may be entitled to 2 weeks of Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay. In order to qualify, you must have worked for at least 26 weeks, be in an assignment and your average weekly earnings must be at least equal to the lower earnings limit (LEL). Payment will be at the current statutory rate.

Start People and its clients take your health and safety very seriously and we expect you to do so too. This handbook outlines some general rules, which we expect you to adhere to at all times during an assignment.

It is likely that there will be additional client specific rules and regulations, and these will be explained to you by Start People and the client where you are working. This may take the form of a client specific induction. Failure to adhere to any health and safety procedures, rules and regulations will almost certainly result in the termination of your assignment.

Start People’s obligations

In order to help you remain healthy and safe during an assignment, Start People will ensure that:

• The client has an appropriate written Health and Safety Policy.
• The client has appropriate employment insurance to cover agency workers.
• The client has carried out appropriate risk assessments in relation to the work you are required to carry out.
• You are notified of any risks associated with the work to be carried out.
• You are advised of any personal protective equipment required.

General rules

At the beginning of each assignment you must familiarise yourself with, and conform to, the:

• Client’s Health and Safety Procedure, undergoing training where necessary.
• At all times, you must comply with all instructions given by the Client’s Safety Officer and others with a responsibility for Health and Safety.
• You must obey the Client’s safety rules at all times and take reasonable care for your own safety, and that of your colleagues.
• You must not take any action, where you work, which might endanger the Health and Safety of yourself or any other person.
• Where required by legislation, or by the Client, you will be supplied with and must wear / use appropriate safety clothing or equipment.
• All accidents, damage, unsafe practices and unsafe workplaces must be reported, without delay, to both the appropriate Client Representative and to Start People, whether people are injured or not.
• You must bring to the Company’s attention any health condition that you believe may have been caused or aggravated by a work activity.
• You must report any health condition that you have, or that you develop, (whether or not it is work-related) that may put you at particular risk from a work activity.
• You should be aware of the dangers, which may arise from excessive working hours, and the importance of adequate rest breaks. You must bring to the attention of Start People any requests to work excessive hours or if inadequate rest breaks are provided.
• You must always ensure you are aware who your first aiders and fire wardens are during your assignment.

Personal protective equipment (PPE)

You are required to wear PPE in certain roles and when doing certain tasks. PPE includes items such as; safety boots, helmets, safety glasses, Hi-Viz jackets and ear defenders. PPE is required to keep you safe and failure to wear the correct PPE means that you leave yourself exposed to risk of serious injury. Where you are required to wear PPE, you must do so in all the designated areas and at all times. Failure to wear the correct PPE will result in the termination of your assignment.

Manual handling

Manual handling (lifting and carrying) is the most common cause of accidents at work. A variety of injuries may be caused by poor manual handling techniques. Injuries are most commonly to the back but hands, arms and feet may also be damaged.

What you are able to lift depends on a number of factors; your personal physique, your age, fitness and experience, the nature of the load and the techniques to be employed.

When preparing to lift, consider; What has to be moved? How far it is to be moved? Where it is to be moved to and where from? Can it be safely handled by one person? Will assistance be required? Can the load be broken down?

When lifting, it is important that you maintain the correct posture; ensure you keep your head up – do not look down at the load, keep your back straight, keep your elbows in, ensure your knees are bent and your feet should be slightly apart.

When preparing to lift ensure; your feet are apart with one foot slightly forward, your knees are bent, the load is kept close to your body and your back is straight.

When grasping the load ensure; you have a secure grip, tilt the load slightly towards you and keep the load close to your body with your arms in.

When lifting loads ensure; there are no jerks, snatches or twists, you look up and you keep your back straight.

When you move off; use the momentum of the lift, keep the load close to your body and use smooth movements.

Work equipment

Work equipment can be hazardous and cause injury. Make sure that you;

Always:

• Follow instructions and comply with safe working procedures.
• Take simple precautions, such as pre-start checks.
• Report defects and faults immediately.
• Keep the working area clean and tidy, clean up spills and remove obstacles.
• Switch off equipment when not in use.
• Tie back long hair and cover it.

Never:

• Use machines if you have been drinking alcohol or taking drugs.
• Tamper with guards or safety devices.
• Wear loose clothing or jewellery when operating machinery.
• Hurry or cut corners.
• Work with equipment, unless trained to do so.

Accident reporting

All accidents and near-misses, no matter how minor, must be reported at the time of the incident to your supervisor and to Start People at the earliest opportunity. You will be required to complete an accident form. Reporting accidents or near-misses helps prevent them recurring.

General complaints

For minor complaints in relation to your assignment, please contact your Start People contact who will endeavour to resolve your concerns.

More serious complaints will be escalated to a Director.

Next steps

1. We will send you a letter, or e-mail, acknowledging your complaint and may ask you to confirm or explain the details set out. We will also let you know the name of the person who will be dealing with your complaint. You can expect to receive our letter within five days of us receiving your complaint.
2. We will then conduct a thorough investigation into your complaint which will involve interviewing all parties concerned.
3. You will receive a written response to your complaint within ten days of completion of the investigation.

If we have to change any of the timescales above, we will let you know and explain why.

Whistle-blowing Procedure

All of Start People’s internal employees are required to adhere to our Policies and Procedures

• Bribery
• Confidentiality
• Discrimination
• Harassment

If you believe any of Start People’s internal team are breeching any of the Policies above, you should ring the Office and ask to speak to one of our Directors.

We’ve included some useful links below that you may find helpful.

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