Following joint lobbying activity from the DMA's Legal and Public Affairs Department and the Field Marketing Council, The Department of Trade and Industry has now clarified the extent to which field marketing companies need to comply with the Employment Agencies and Employment Business Regulations. (For an explanation of the Regulations please see Notes to Editor's).

The DTI states that if the client company employing the field marketing agency exercises no control over the worker delivering the promotional service, then the field marketing company is not covered by the Regulations. This decision from the DTI means that field marketing companies will be released from further complications to employment, and will be able to deliver the level of flexibility and productivity associated with this popular and highly effective channel of direct marketing.

Alison Williams, Chair of the Field Marketing Council commented, "We are delighted with the DTI's decision and thrilled that together with the DMA's Legal and Public Affairs Department we have succeeded in ensuring that these Regulations benefit both field marketing companies and those employed within this field. Field Marketing is a dynamic channel of direct marketing that needs to be flexible to achieve the levels of success and return on investment that it is associated with and the DTI's clarification of these Regulations will enable us to do this."

To ensure all those employed by field marketing companies are adequately protected by the Regulations, the Regulations clearly state that if the client company has any control over the worker then the Regulations do apply and the field marketing company will have to comply with the Regulations.

For further information please contact:

Liz Bastone
DMA PR Manager
Tel: 020 7291 3315
Email: liz@dma.org.uk

Editor's Notes

About the Employment Agencies and Employment Business Regulations 2003

The Government has brought into force Regulations that make major changes to the law regulating firms supplying workers for temporary or permanent employment. For a summary of these regulations please email liz@dma.org.uk