Temporary workers will be excluded from a European directive guaranteeing fixed-term employees equal rights to their permanent colleagues.

The move by the government to exclude temps from the directive is a victory for the REC, which has been campaigning to prevent temporary workers falling under the document’s remit.

However, recruitment agencies dealing with fixed-term workers must make sure they issue fixed-term contracts that confer equal rights with permanent contracts.

REC director of external relations Marcia Roberts said: ‘We very much hoped that the DTI would go this way, especially because there is a whole directive coming our way that will apply to recruitment.’

From now on, employers must:

• Ensure fixed-term employees are not treated less favourably than permanent employees, unless objectively justified.

• Advertise permanent vacancies so it is likely fixed-term employees will see them.

• Ensure fixed-term workers receive written explanations if they feel less favourable treatment has occurred.

• Accept that any dismissal for seeking to enforce these rights is unfair.

• Provide fixed-term employees with permanent contracts if they have been working on a fixed-term basis for more than four years.

• Abolish redundancy payment waivers.