Use Compliant Labour Hire Providers

Don’t put your business at unnecessary risk!

Contracting with another business to provide labour hire is extremely popular in the Sydney construction industry. Almost every construction company in Sydney use contractors and labour hire companies like Hunter Labour Hire to gain access to specialist skills which their business is unable to provide with their own staff. The purpose of this week’s blog is to help you ensure that your labour hire company and your contractors are in compliance with workplace laws before engaging them to supply labour to your business.

Risks Of Using Low Quality Labour Hire Providers

Hunter Labour Hire believe it is essential to engage contractors who do the right thing by their employees by following workplace laws which cover things like; ensuring employees are paid at least the minimum wage, leave/casual leave loading and other employee entitlements. This all helps protect your business against significant risks such as:

• Damaging Your Businesses Reputation – We realise that building a good reputation in such a competitive and buoyant construction market is essential to the success of your business. Engaging contractors who cut corners to save a few dollars may be tempting but could have detrimental effects on your reputation and could even result in losing customers as a result.
• Legally Responsible for Your Contractors’ Actions – If one of your contractors breaks the law then your company can be held responsible for their actions. This is known as “Accessorial Liability” which can result in your business facing high financial penalties in court.

5 Steps to Minimise Risks With Labour Hire Companies

If you are going to engage a labour hire company to provide you with labour then here are 5 easy steps you can take to help minimise the risks to your business from using labour hire staff.

1. Know the pay and conditions that apply
2. Ask potential contractors about their workplace practices
3. Check the contract price/charge out rates to make sure it’s enough to cover wages
4. Set clear expectations
5. Make sure you know of any subcontracting arrangements

Protecting Your Business And Ensuring Contractor Compliance

Now that you have a good understanding of contractor compliance we would highly recommend contacting each of your contractors to check their compliance with workplace laws. We suggest setting up a quick meeting or call telling them you’re running routine checks as part of compliance obligations. Some of the questions to ask your current labour hire provider are:

• Do you subcontract any of the services you provide to my business?
• Do you monitor your subcontractor’s compliance with workplace laws?
• Do you keep employee records and give pay slips?
• Do you pay your employees their correct wages, including penalty rates, allowances overtime and casual loading?
• Have you ever been investigated by the Fair Work Ombudsman? What was the outcome?
• Will you be looking to subcontract any of my work?
• Have these subcontractors signed valid subcontractor’s statements?

A Compliant Labour Hire Agency

Hunter Labour Hire are proud to confirm that we are in complete compliance with the law and when our clients request details and proof to back this up we are 100% transparent. Whether you’re a business looking for a reliable and compliant labour hire provider in Sydney, or a skilled construction worker looking for consistent work with one of Sydney’s most reputable agencies then please don’t hesitate to contact us any time on 02 8985 2019, email info@hunterlabourhire.com.au or contact us online!