Common questions
How do I contact the Worker Support Centre?
Helpline: 0800 058 1633
When:
At all other times there is an answer phone facility; please leave a message and we will respond as soon as a staff member is next available.
What information should I expect from my employer?
Your employer must provide details of the terms and conditions of the work you will carry out in writing before your first day of work. This should at least include:
- who is employing you;
- your rate of pay – no lower than the Agricultural Minimum Wage, £10.42 per hour;
- your working hours and holiday days – minimum 32 hours per week for workers on the Seasonal Worker visa;
- the location of your work.
You should have received an employment contract in your first language, as well as English. This contract must provide details of the hours you can expect to work and must not be ‘zero-hours.’
You should receive a pay slip on or before the day you are paid which shows:
- Your pay, before and after deductions (such as deductions for your housing and travel if they were agreed with you in advance);
- tax and national insurance deductions required to be made by law;
- hours you worked;
- the ‘net’ amount on your pay slip (after deductions) must be the same as the pay you actually receive.
Should you not receive any of the above, discuss with your employer. If this is not resolved, then contact the Scottish Agricultural Wages Enforcement Team on 0131 244 9749/ 9750
What should I do if I’m being mistreated at work?
It is against the law in Scotland for an employer to discriminate against workers on the basis of age, sex, race, disability, marriage and civil partnership, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, and religion or belief.
It is against the law to offer less favourable pay and conditions to men and women for equal work or to offer less favourable pay and conditions to workers on the basis of their working pattern, for example, part-time or full-time or contract, fixed term or permanent unless it can be objectively justified by your employer.
If you or someone you know is a victim of any of these forms of discrimination, you can contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service for more information on 0808 800 0082 or contact the Worker Support Centre on 0800 0581 633 for further information.
Where can I get more information about my rights on the SWV?
You can download detailed information leaflets about your rights on the SWV from the Government website.
Who funds the Worker Support Centre?
The Worker Support Centre is an independent organisation funded by the Scottish Government.
What do I do if I want to change employer?
Your labour provider must set out clearly the way in which you can transfer employer (including criteria for making a request and a process for considering requests) before you start work.
Normally labour providers must not refuse requests from workers to change farms, unless there are significant reasons not to permit a change.
If you are facing problems changing employer, contact the Worker Support Centre on 0800 0581 633
What should I do if I think I’ve been a victim of human trafficking?
The following are signs of possible human trafficking for labour exploitation:
- deception or misleading information (oral or written) about the work and working conditions you would find;
- physical or sexual violence towards workers;
- intimidation or threats to workers and/or insulting behaviour to make them feel vulnerable;
- restriction of workers’ movements;
- pressure or force to work excessive overtime;
- abusive working and/or living conditions;
- making people work to pay off a debt that is ever increasing so that it gets much higher than its original value;
- keeping back wages or making high wage reductions in order to make workers stay in a job; and
- employers or visa sponsors holding on to passports and identity documents.
If you think you’re being trafficked you can either call the police on 999 if it’s an emergency. For non- emergencies, call 101 or if you do not want to speak to the police you can call the Modern Slavery Helpline on 0800 0121 700 or fill out the Modern Slavery Helpline online form.
If you’re a victim of human trafficking the police or Modern Slavery Helpline will talk to you about what has happened, and refer you to a support provider who can provide safe accommodation for up to 90 days.
What information should I gather whilst at work?
Try to document information about your work to help understand any problems you may face. Useful information can include:
- Work completed – Write down the hours you work, when you start and finish, what breaks you take, what the work was and where the work took place.
- Pay – Document how much you should be paid for the work you have done (piece rate, hourly rate), then document how much money you receive in pay and keep hold of your pay slips.
- Contract – Keep hold of your contract and any other documents related to your accommodation or agreements eg on payments required by your employer.
- Place of work – Know the address of where you work.