Guidance

Conduct Regulations 2003: guidance for employment agencies and employment businesses

Guidance for employment agencies, employment businesses and the recruitment sector on the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003.

• From: Fair Work Agency, Department for Business and Trade, Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate
• Published: 13 March 2008
• Last updated: 7 April 2026 — See all updates

Documents

Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003: a brief guide for agencies

PDF, 405 KB, 39 pages

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The 'Conduct Regulations': Regulation 13

PDF, 87.9 KB, 1 page

The 'Conduct Regulations': Regulation 18

PDF, 90.9 KB, 1 page

The 'Conduct Regulations': Regulation 21

PDF, 90.8 KB, 1 page

Details

This guidance aims to help employment agencies, employment businesses and the recruitment sector to understand The Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003.

Fair Work Agency

The Fair Work Agency (FWA) began operating on 7 April 2026. It replaces the Employment Agency Standards (EAS) Inspectorate and the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA).

Some documents on this page still refer to EAS or GLAA. Where this happens, the responsibilities now belong to the FWA.

The FWA is updating these documents and will publish new versions on this page.

Brief guide for agencies

This provides an overview of:

• the provisions of the Conduct Regulations
• the role and responsibilities of the Fair Work Agency (FWA)
• the differences between employment agencies and businesses

Regulation 13 - Notification of the charges and terms of offers

From 6 April 2020, Regulation 13A introduces a requirement to provide a ‘Key information document’ for agency workers. There are templates and guidance explaining this Regulation.

Regulation 18 - Information to be obtained from a hirer

The requirement to obtain a minimum amount of information from hirers regarding job assignments they are seeking to fill. That information is later passed on to the work-seeker.

Regulation 21 - Provision of information to work-seekers and hirers

The requirement to provide to work-seekers with a minimum amount information that they have obtained about job assignments that are being offered.

Published 13 March 2008

Last updated 7 April 2026 + show all updates

1. 7 April 2026

   References to Employment Agency Standards (EAS) Inspectorate changed to Fair Work Agency (FWA). From 7 April 2026 a new government agency called the Fair Work Agency (FWA) began operating. It replaced the Employment Agency Standards (EAS) Inspectorate.

2. 14 August 2020

   Updated to reflect the 2019 amendments to the regulations.

3. 13 March 2008

   First published.