If your company uses agency workers to maintain flexibility and keep costs down, you may need to rethink the structure of your workforce.

The Government has brought into force Regulations that make it unlawful to blacklist workers from employment as a result of their union membership or activities. 

Around 24,000 people leave the Armed Forces each year, and there are an estimated five million veterans in the UK, Ministry of Defence figures show. 

The latest addition to the XpertHR good practice section discusses the key actions employers can take to create disability-confident workplaces.

Ben Williams, barrister at Kings Chambers, Manchester and Leeds, considers whether a women-only recruitment drive would be lawful. 

The Equality Bill is now completing its way through Parliament. It will have far-reaching consequences and will require all employers to review their personnel policies. Butterworths is offering XpertHR subscribers a £50 discount on its Equality Bill conference on 15 April. 

The Government has published the Agency Workers Regulations 2010 (SI 2010/93), which give agency workers the same basic employment conditions after 12 weeks in a given job as those that would have applied if the workers had been recruited directly by the hirer. The Regulations implement the Temporary Agency Workers Directive (2008/104/EC). 

Environment consultancy RSK has seen its labour turnover rates tumble by half, to around 10%, as a result of introducing an online induction programme that is made available to new employees prior to their first day.

The XpertHR "how to" section gives guidance on how to comply with the duty to make reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process. The article gives practical advice on steps for employers to take to ensure that their recruitment procedures do not put disabled applicants at a disadvantage. 

Ask any HR professional what's keeping them awake at night, and they'll answer "the recession". Personnel Today carried out a survey, with Hays Specialist Recruitment, looking at the economic climate and its impact on HR and recruitment.

Sue Nickson of Hammonds LLP answers some frequently asked questions on the vetting and barring scheme, in this week's topic of the week article. In addition, we pull together some of the wealth of information on XpertHR on recruitment checks and employing ex-offenders.

Personnel Today finds out how HR professionals and recruitment consultants can get the best from each other.

Bob Fahy, solicitor, Matthew Arnold & Baldwin, answers queries on employing under-18s. 

In this week's topic of the week article Sue Nickson of Hammonds LLP provides an overview of the vetting and barring scheme under which employers must obtain enhanced Criminal Record Bureau checks to ensure that individuals recruited to work with children or vulnerable adults in a regulated activity are not on either of the barred lists held by the Independent Safeguarding Authority. In addition, we pull together some of the wealth of information on XpertHR on recruitment checks and employing ex-offenders.

East Sussex County Council has transformed its recruitment advertising strategy - and reduced its recruitment spend - by creating an employer brand "worthwhile work", designed to appeal to all sections of the community.

At a time when companies can not afford to make wrong hiring decisions, it is not surprising that online assessment has become more appealing. 

Michael Berriman, partner, Weightmans, investigates the practicalities of testing a candidate's physical and mental aptitude. 

We examine the draft Agency Workers Regulations 2010, which are set out in the Government's consultation document on implementing the Temporary Agency Work Directive, and will come into force in October 2011.

IRS heard from 104 employers about the steps they are taking to maximise equality and diversity in the recruitment process. The survey also examines the monitoring of equal opportunities in recruitment and the benefits of employing a diverse workforce.

The Government has launched a consultation on draft Regulations setting out detailed proposals for its implementation of the Temporary Agency Workers Directive (2008/104/EC).

Employers need to understand the implications of the Agency Workers Directive for their business and begin planning to take it into account in policies and recruitment procedures. 

Reliable pay data is essential to any organisation seeking to manage its reward strategy effectively. But why take part in a salary survey when it is possible to buy salary data off the shelf? We provide a short video introduction explaining the benefits of participation and what is involved.

This 2009 survey of employers maps their attitudes towards psychometric testing, the types of testing they use and how they administer and use tests in employment-related areas. It also compares their procedures with good practice guidelines and highlights the ways in which employers would like to improve their test use.

With unemployment at 2.47 million - its highest level in 14 years - what hope is there for those who were already unemployed when the economy turned sour? Personnel Today asks if recruiters ignore them in favour of those more recently unemployed, or if employers are sticking to their corporate social responsibility guns and continuing to hire them. 

In 1992, as the UK struggled with its last serious recession, Personnel Today published the findings of a survey by recruitment company Reed. Almost two decades later, in the throes of another downturn, Reed has repeated the research.

The Department for Children, Schools and Families has published new guidance on the law relating to the employment of children.

IRS has been investigating graduate recruitment practices for the past 20 years and would appreciate your help with this year's survey. BT may have suspended its graduate recruitment scheme but for others the process of attracting and selecting graduates continues.

Geographical information company Ordnance Survey has used the process of identifying and defining its employer brand to reinforce the new business strategy of the company, and improve its recruitment in the areas of technology and sales.