Employment

What documents do you need for employment in the UK?

• To be registered with Home office or have visa.
• National Insurance Number
• Pay tax

Worker Registration Scheme (WRS). If you are from one of the new EU members states you must register with the Home Office within 30 days. All details you can find www.workingintheuk.gov.uk

Once you have been working legally in the UK for 12 months without a break you will have full rights of free movement and will no longer need to register on the Worker Registration scheme. You can then get a residence permit confirming your right to live and work in the UK.

For applying for WRS you should complete application form, giving your name, address, date of birth, nationality and your employment details. The charge for a first application is £70. You must fill in the payment slip on the application form.

For non EU countries

If you want to work in the United Kingdom, you should check that your status allows you to do so before taking up employment. Not everyone who comes to the UK is allowed to work. You can check if you are allowed to work by looking at the stamp in your passport. Examples of passport stamps can be found on the Immigration and Nationality Directorate website: www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk.

Your status may only allow you to stay in the UK for a limited time. In some cases, when the time is finished, you cannot apply to stay longer. If you are eligible to extend your stay in the UK, you will need to make an application before your original permission ends. For further information please check: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/passports-and-immigration

Sectors based scheme

The sectors based scheme (SBS) allows workers from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) to enter the United Kingdom to take short-term or casual jobs. The SBS covers work in low skilled jobs within food manufacturing industries (meat and fish processing and mushroom production only). Applications for the SBS are subject to charge.

What is the Seasonal Agricultural Workers' Scheme?

The scheme allows workers from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) to enter the United Kingdom to do seasonal agricultural work for farmers and growers.
This work is low skilled and includes:

• planting and gathering crops;
• on-farm processing and packing of crops (for example, salad vegetables, soft fruit, and flowers); and
• handling livestock (for example, lambing and on-farm poultry processing).

You should be paid at least the national minimum wage for the work. You are also covered by the Agricultural Wages Order. In 2006 there are 16,250 places on the scheme. The scheme is run for the Home Office by Operators who recruit suitable people and place them on farms.

How long can I stay in the UK under the scheme?

You can take part in the scheme for a minimum of five weeks and a maximum of six months at a time. You must leave the UK when your permission to stay is finished. You may apply for the scheme again after three months outside the UK if you continue to satisfy Home Office rules.

Can I leave the scheme?

If you want to leave the scheme, you must leave the UK.

How can I apply?

People who want to join the scheme must apply to the Operators. You can approach them directly, or through your university or college.
Look below for a list of the current Operators and their contact details.

List of SAWS Operators

Concordia Ltd (YSV) - recruits on behalf of farmers throughout the UK
2nd floor, Heversham House,20-22 Boundary Rd, Hove, Sussex, BN3 4ET.
Tel: 01273 422293 Fax:01273 422443
Email: info@concordia-ysv.org.uk
Website: www.concordiafarms.org
From 1.1.06 19 North St, Portslade, East Sussex BN41 1DH

HOPS Labour Solutions recruits on behalf of farmers throughout the UK
YFC Centre, Stoneleigh Park, Kenilworth, Warwickshire, CV8 2LG
Tel: 02476 857210 Fax: 02476 857205
Email: hopsgb@nfyfc.org.uk

Friday Bridge International Farm Camp - recruits on behalf of farmers in the North Cambridgeshire area only
March Rd, Friday Bridge, Wisbech, Cambs, PE14 0LR
Tel: 01945 860255 Fax: 01945 861088
Email: fbifc-contact@hotmail.com

Sastak Ltd - recruits on behalf of farmers in the Shropshire & Staffordshire areas only
1-7 BDC, Long Lane, Craven Arms, Shropshire, SY7 8DU
Tel: 01588 673636 Fax: 01588 672205
Email: saws@sastak.com

Barway Services Ltd - recruits to meet their own demand for seasonal labour
Barway, Ely, Cambridgeshire, CB7 5TZ
Tel: 01353 727314 Fax: 01353 727255
Email: hostel@gs-marketing.com
Websites: www.gs-marketing.comor www.gs-recruitment.com

Haygrove Ltd - recruits to meet their own demand for seasonal labour only
Redbank, Ledbury, Hereford, HR8 2JL
Tel: 01531 633659 Fax: 01531 635969
Email: students@haygrove.co.uk
Website: www.haygrove.co.uk

R&J M Place Ltd (International Farm Camp) - recruits to meet their own demand for seasonal labour only
Church Farm, Tunstead, Norwich, Norfolk, NR12 8RQ
Tel: 01692 536337 Fax: 01692 535493
Email: info@ifctunstead.co.uk
Website: www.ifctunstead.co.uk

S&A Produce (UK) Ltd - recruits to meet their own demand for seasonal labour only
Brook Farm, Marden, Hereford, HR1 3ET
Tel: 01432 880235 Fax: 01432 880644
Email: student@sagroup.co.uk
Website: www.sagroup.co.uk

Wilkin & Sons Ltd (International Farm Camp) - recruits to meet their own demand for seasonal labour only
Hall Rd,Tiptree,Colchester,Essex,CO5 0RF
Tel: 01621 815496 Fax: 01621 814555
Email: ifc@tiptree.com
Website: www.fruit-pickers.com

How do I apply for a National Insurance Number (NIN) or (NI)?

NIN is a personal number used to record a person’s NI contribution and as a reference number for the security system. You may ring telephone number 08458500284. Alternatively you may apply for NIN through Jobcentre Plus office and complete a form with all your details and faxed it to the NIN Department. Then you will get a confirmation letter with the details and requirements for the interview. When you make the appointment, you will need to give this information:

• your full name
• date of birth
• date of arrival in the UK
• the name of your employer
• your current address in the UK and anywhere else you have lived since arriving in the UK

Tell them if you can’t speak much English and will need an interpreter at the interview. For more information about National Insurance look at www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/nic/nino.htm and www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk 

Written statement of the main terms and conditions of employment

All employees, regardless of the number of hours they work per week, are entitled to receive a written statement from their employer, within two months of starting work. The statement describes the main terms of the contract of employment.

The statement must give details about:

• job title
• wages
• hours of work
• holiday entitlement
• sick pay
• pension schemes
• notice
• grievance, dismissal and disciplinary procedure.

Trade unions

An employee has the right to join a trade union, and should not be refused a job, dismissed, harassed or selected for redundancy because they are a member of or wish to join a trade union. An employee also has the right not to join a trade union if they wish, and should not be refused a job, dismissed, harassed or selected for redundancy because they refused to join. A member of a trade union has the right to take part in trade union activities, for example, recruiting members, collecting subscriptions and attending meetings. Any form of industrial action, for example, going on strike, is not considered a form of trade union activity. Trade union activities must take place either outside the employee’s normal working hours or at a time agreed with the employer. An employee has no right to be paid for this time off work unless their contract allows for this. You can get further information and advice about trade unions from the Trades Union Congress (TUC). For information about which union to join, look on the union finder page of the TUC's website at www.worksmart.org.uk.

Enforcing rights at work

If you have a problem with your employer you should usually try to sort it out informally first. If this doesn't work, you should follow the special three-step grievance procedure which all employers are required to have by law. This means you must:

1. send your employer a written statement, setting out your grievance, and give them at least 28 days to respond
2. meet with your employer to discuss your grievance
3. appeal against your employer's decision if you are not happy with it.

If you have followed this procedure and are still not happy with the outcome, you can take your case to an employment tribunal. You should bear in mind that if you haven't followed the grievance procedure properly first, the employment tribunal may decide to reduce any compensation it awards you. There are some circumstances in which you do not have to follow the grievance procedure before taking your case to an employment tribunal. Employment tribunals (industrial tribunals in Northern Ireland) are legal bodies which deal with complaints about employment rights. A tribunal is made up of a legally qualified chairperson and two other people representing the employer’s and the employee’s sides of industry.

A tribunal can deal with problems on the following:

• written statement of terms and conditions
• maternity rights
• holiday rights
• itemised pay statement
• unpaid wages
• sex discrimination/equal pay
• race discrimination
• disability discrimination
• discrimination because of sexual orientation
• discrimination because of religion or belief
• some health and safety problems
• unfair dismissal and redundancy.

In England, Wales and Scotland, in some cases you will have to raise a written grievance with your employer before you can make a claim to an employment tribunal. If you complain to an employment tribunal (industrial tribunal in Northern Ireland) you may risk losing your job. There are time limits within which you must take a case to a tribunal. These vary but generally a claim for unfair dismissal/illegal deduction from wages/discrimination must be made within three months of the last day worked, or of the date of the last deduction or of the date of the discriminatory act. This time limit may be extended if you have raised a written grievance with your employer. A claim for redundancy pay must normally be made within six months of leaving the job. It is very important therefore that if you are considering making a claim to an employment tribunal (industrial tribunal in Northern Ireland) you should get help from an experienced adviser as soon as possible, for example, at a Citizens Advice Bureau.

Remember: Your employer does not have the right to keep your passport or identity documents – it is enough for them to make copies for their records.

The National Minimum Wage – is the minimum that can be paid for each hour you work: from 2006 October is £5.35.

If you are working more then 6 hours shift you have a right to a rest break of 20 minutes.

You should receive a minimum of four weeks paid annual leave.

You have a right not to work more then 48 hours per week.

How to find a job?

• Check all newspapers- what it was advertised
• Check notice board near factories
• Ask friends if they know factories who have vacancies
• visit jobcentre plus, check their computers, visit their website www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk, ask for advice and assistance
• register to employment agencies, who make money from employers who need workers, not from those seeking work.

It is not legal to charge you for the finding employment for you!

Your employer has a duty under the law to ensure your health, safety and welfare at work. They have to provide you trainings, instructions, information that is necessary for your health and safety. If you work for an agency that is treating you badly and you think it might be breaking the law you can report it to the government office that regulates agencies. T: 0845 955 5105.

Conditions leading to employment

• you need basic English, to fill the form, to understand the instruction;
• documents (ID)
• to proof your legality (visa)
• to provide references (as recommendation) from two last employers. For some foreign workers that might be very hard. Try to provide references from your own country, from friends (English) or some other people who might know you.
• Translate your documents, diplomas or certificates into English, and register to the specific bodies who might acknowledge your qualification. www.naric.org.uk

Note: for teachers and social workers there is a specific organization that checks persons qualification.

If you are looking for a job, please check:

• for overseas qualified health professionals http://www.rose.nhs.uk/index.html
• Jobcentre plus  http://www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk/JCP/index.html
• Cambridgeshire County council http://www2.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/db/jobvacs.nsf/browse+menu3col?OpenForm
• Lincolnshire Councty Council http://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/jobresults.asp
• Jobs 24 http://www.jobs24.co.uk/
• Jobs today http://www.ajobtoday.co.uk/
• Jobsgo Public http://www.jobsgopublic.com/
• Jobs in Charities  http://www.jobsincharities.co.uk/
• Opportunities http://www.opportunities.co.uk/
• Reed http://www.reed.co.uk/
• All the Jobs http://www.allthejobs.co.uk/
• or search in www.google.co.uk