Can a company steal my temp workers?

Question

I provide skilled trades to companies, and by a gentlemans agreement if they like them after 3 months the can hire them with no fee or charges, but a company has taken and hired one of my men after one week, is there anything i can do. I have no signed contracts

Answer 1

You need a signed contract - and anyone stealing your temp workers should be blacklisted from ever using your agency again.  I used to deal with a temp agency (I am retired HR) who had had a contract saying if I hired one of their people I would pay one month salary in fees...however, we hired so many people from this agency, she often waived the "fee" after a number of weeks of employment.  It it unethical to scoop an employee from a temp agency.  Do NOT provided then with future employees...they are using you to to their advertising/screening It IS a gentlemen's agreement....obviously, your agency is not as ethical as you are.....

Answer 2

No, you would need a written conract to enforce it.  

Answer 3

Document everything. If it's not on paper - it does not hold up in court (for the most part).

Answer 4

Sometimes verbal agreements hold up in court, however, the costs of the experience are many times too much for a small company to handle.

Most temp agencies have a contract with both the temp employee and their company clients, stating the terms, if any, for hiring the temp employee. Many temp agencies have between 90-180 rules.

Even with contracts, there will be people on both sides who will ignore them, especially "gentlemen agreements. " Your chance of being protected are greater when its in writing.