Professional Standards

Merritt Recruitment is proud to be a member of the Recruitment & Employment Confederation.

For our clients and candidates this means that we have been independently verified as and are continually supported in achieving the highest professional standards across 10 key areas:

1.     Respect for laws

• We are fully compliant with all relevant legislation, statutory and non-statutory requirements and official guidance including key data protection legislation such as GDPR.

2.     Respect for honesty & transparency

• We offer complete honesty and transparency in our dealings with clients and candidates, ensuring that we find the right candidate for the right role. Candidates can rely on the fact that we are offering a fair representation of the role they are applying for including terms and benefits. Employers will have a full understanding of fees and accurate details on job seekers.

3.     Respect for work relationships

• We do not undertake actions that may unfairly or unlawfully jeopardise a work seeker’s employment.

• We do not undertake actions that may unfairly or unlawfully interfere in work relationships established by others.

• We do not attempt unfairly or unlawfully to prevent a work seeker from seeking work from other sources.

• We are committed to working in a fair and open competitive environment.

4.     Respect for diversity

• We adhere to the spirit of all applicable human rights, employment laws and regulations and treat work seekers, clients and others without prejudice or unjustified discrimination. We do not act on an instruction from a client that is discriminatory and, wherever possible, provide guidance to clients in respect of good diversity practice.

• We treat all work seekers and clients with dignity and respect and aim to provide equity of employment opportunities based on objective business related criteria.

• We have working practices that safeguard against unlawful or unethical discrimination.

5.     Respect for safety

• We act diligently in assessing risks to work seekers and clients and will not knowingly put at risk candidates, clients or others.

• We inform work seekers whenever we have reason to believe that an engagement may cause a risk to health and safety.

6.     Respect for professional knowledge

• We work diligently to develop and maintain a satisfactory level of relevant and current professional knowledge.

• We ensure that our staff are adequately trained and skilled to undertake their responsibilities in recruitment practice.

7.     Respect for certainty of engagement

• We supply work seekers with full details of the work, conditions of employment, the nature of the work to be undertaken, rates of pay, method and frequency of payment and pay arrangements in accordance with requirements of current legislation.

• We ensure that any variation to the engagement can only occur with prior notification and agreement of the worker.

8.     Respect for prompt & accurate payment

• We pay promptly and accurately in accordance with agreed terms and legal requirements.

9.     Respect for ethical international recruitment

• We supply all overseas work seekers with the same level of information as set out and implied in Principle 7. In addition, we provide details of the likely cost of living in the area the prospective hirer is situated, the likely length of the job in question and the state of the employment market in the field they are being recruited into. All information is provided at no cost to the work seeker.

• We abide by all relevant legislation, Home Office guidelines and provide all relevant and applicable information to work seekers, clients and others in relation to overseas recruitment.

• We do not use overseas agents who charge for their services, unless that is the legal and normal custom and practice sanctioned by the government of the country of origin. In addition, we make all reasonable efforts to ascertain such information about any agents used and can demonstrate that they have done so.

• We observe the highest principles of social responsibility, integrity, professionalism, equity and fair practice in our dealings with all overseas work seekers.

10.  Respect for confidentiality & privacy

• We observe the highest principles of integrity, professionalism, equity and fair practice to maintain the confidentiality and privacy of candidate and client information and respect the confidentiality of records in accordance with law and good business practice.

• We ensure that we have obtained consent or another legal basis before disclosing, transferring, displaying, submitting or seeking confidential or personal information.

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