Employment agency

See also Employment business.

Commonly known as a recruitment agency, an organisation involved in "providing services (whether by the provision of information or otherwise) for the purpose of finding workers employment with employers or of supplying employers with workers for employment by them" (section 13(2), Employment Agencies Act 1973).

This definition applies to a wide range of agencies, from the familiar recruitment agency, through a range of specialist agencies to entertainment and modelling agents, the executive selection functions of management consultants and executive search consultants. It is a distinct concept from that of an employment business, but the term "employment agency" is sometimes used in common parlance to refer to both types of organisation.

For further information on the distinction between an employment agency and an employment business, see Practice note, Employment agencies and employment businesses: regulatory aspects: The definition of employment business and employment agency.