HGV recruitment agency 'found guilty of breaking legislation'

Date: 17/2/2010

Directors of an HGV recruitment agency have been found by a Tribunal to have breached the law and have consequently been banned from running an agency for up to a decade.

The agency supplied drivers to hirers in Yorkshire and the North of England under various names.

However, directors David Allon, Marc Hedley, Sian Pemberton and Angela Roberts were found by Leeds Employment Tribunal to have carried out illegal practices such as withholding payment of wages to drivers and failing to check drivers had licences.

Minister responsible for employment relations Lord Young commented on the case: "Rogues like these give the recruitment sector a bad name so I am delighted to see the Tribunal's decision putting the brakes on their unacceptable behaviour."

The legal action was taken by the Employment Agency Standards (EAS) inspectorate.

Misconduct was brought to the attention of the EAS by 26 complainants including drivers.

Meanwhile, drivers in the south west and the Midlands have been advised to check road conditions before they set out tomorrow (February 18th) as rain in these regions is expected to turn into heavy snow showers, according to the Highways Agency.