UK: Seasonal worker scheme operator, Ethero, has license revoked for not meeting Govt. 32 hour pay rule; incl. co. comment
Summary
Date Reported: 24 Aug 2024
Location: United Kingdom
Companies
TELPASC - Other Value Chain Entity , Ethero (part of TELPASC) - EmployerOther
Not Reported ( Recruitment agencies ) - RecruiterAffected
Total individuals affected: 100
Migrant & immigrant workers: ( Number unknown - Uzbekistan , Agriculture & livestock , Women , Documented migrants ) , Migrant & immigrant workers: ( Number unknown - Uzbekistan , Agriculture & livestock , Men , Documented migrants )Issues
Recruitment Fees , Access to Non-Judicial Remedy , Access to Information , Retention of identity documents , Irregular WorkResponse
Response sought: Yes, by Journalist
External link to response: (Find out more)
Action taken: When contacted by TBIJ, Ethero declined to comment. The Grocer later reported that the majority of seasonal workers in the UK who had been sponsored by Ethero have been moved to a new company, according to a letter by another scheme operator, Pro Force. However, some workers have been in touch with The Grocer saying they have still received no information either from the government or an alternative operator. The Grocer says Ethero denied it has caused any welfare issues to sponsored workers or candidates, and that it has “recruited ethically around the world”.
Source type: News outlet
“Seasonal worker operator fury after licence revoked”
Recruitment company Ethero has had its seasonal worker licence revoked, The Grocer understands…
Ethero said it had been deemed to pose a threat to UK immigration rules by the Home Office. However, the operator strongly denies the claims – and said it had proven its case to UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI).
The … operator said that “to the day of our licence revocation, our operation was working fully within the key contractual measures that were in place between us and UKVI/Home Office”…
According to the Ethero team, the revocation was based on different interpretations of the 32-hours pay rule…
While the Home Office believes workers should be guaranteed 32 hours of work every week, the operators and the Government’s Migration Advisory Committee interpret the rule as stipulating an average of 32 hours a week…
Guaranteeing the same number of hours every week can be particularly tricky amid issues such as this year’s bad weather. ..
The Home Office does not comment on individual cases, however a spokesman told The Grocer: “We do not tolerate abuse in the labour market and sponsors must meet their obligations to workers or potentially face removal from the sponsorship register…