Temporary agency worker recruitment

To recruit a temporary agency worker, you must have a vacant position in your establishment. You must raise your recruitment requisition via My Recruitment​. This will be picked up by the Resourcing team who will then contact you to support you through the process and take a full briefing on your requirement if required. This is the only way in which you can recruit a temporary agency worker at Essex County Council (ECC). 

You will require budget holder approval to raise a new temporary agency worker requisition. 

Because temporary agency staff must undergo pre-engagement vetting due to the nature of work at ECC, it may take time (around 7 working days) to source and clear a temporary agency worker, longer if a DBS is required, so it is important to leave enough time to conduct the temporary recruitment process. 

How we recruit for temporary agency staff

On receipt of your requirement, the Resourcing team will source CVs of suitable temporary agency staff for your consideration. 

The most cost-effective route to source a temporary worker is for the Resourcing team to recruit directly sourced candidates. This is done via advertising or existing talent pools for workers who are not represented by a third-party recruitment agency. This is the way in which the majority of ECC temporary agency workers are sourced. 

If we are unable to find suitable candidates we can engage a third-party recruitment agency, by distributing your requirement to our preferred list of agency suppliers and inviting them to submit CVs. Please note, agencies which are not signed to the ECC preferred supplier list cannot be used to recruit temporary agency workers. The use of an agency does attract a higher cost due to an agency margin being applicable, agencies do provide a valuable service and add to ECC’s resourcing capability, but they should only be used where absolutely necessary. 

There may be instances whereby you are aware of a temporary worker whom you wish to recommend or refer directly who is not represented by a third-party recruitment agency. In this instance, please liaise with the Resourcing team to engage them in the process. 

Which recruitment agencies can I use?

ECC operate a preferred supply chain for temporary agency worker recruitment agencies, with clear contractual arrangements in place via our dynamic purchasing system (DPS).

Only agencies which are a member of this DPS are permitted to supply temporary agency staff to ECC, you can check which agencies are part of our DPS by emailing the Temporary Recruitment team (PDF, 125 KB).

You are not able to recruit temporary agency staff from any agency who is not on our DPS and ECC will have no mechanism in which to pay such agencies. All agency suppliers are required to use ECC’s partner (Matrix SCM) time and billing technology when temporary agency staff are placed.

The charges for all recruitment agencies are set out clearly in the DPS and no agreement outside of these terms can be made by any ECC representative outside of People and Transformation nominated representatives. Agencies wishing to join our DPS supply chain may be invited via signposting to the tender on e-sourcing platform ProContract​ and locating CO0096 Temporary and Permanent Worker Supply Chain (DN573901).