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Recruiters' legal risks flying under the radar

Recruitment leaders don't yet appear too worried about 'same job same pay' proposals, but these could have major ramifications for the staffing sector, a lawyer warns.

Speaking to Shortlist about key legal risks and issues this year, Squire Patton Boggs partner Nicola Martin says the Fair Work Amendment (Same Job, Same Pay) Bill 2021 is one that seems to have largely flown under the radar.

This is potentially because it's a private member's bill, [introduced by Labor leader Anthony Albanese, and those in the staffing industry may assume that it won't progress any further.

However, "it would be a big issue for the industry if it did come in and they'd have to look at mirroring the terms for their employees as the clients' terms for its employees".

"It's going to mean that the labour hire agencies' margins are going to be depleted even further...