The employment Agency Standards have banned a married couple from running an employment agency for 10 years following a recent investigation where they were found to be guilty on two counts of false accounting. The couple later pleaded guilty to two charges of false accounting on 4th April 2008 at Kingston Crown Court.
Steven Mark Howard was a Company Secretary and his wife Amanda Howard a Director of Hire Management Limited in Mitcham, Surrey. Although at the same time Mr Howard was also employed by two different companies in a recruitment capacity: ERA Technology Limited and Railtrack (now Network Rail).
The investigation brought to light that Mr Howard was using his position at ERA to enlist the recruitment services of Hire Management then raised invoices for advertising costs far in excess of the amount actually incurred, claimed false expenses and invoiced ERA for placing candidates he had placed himself. Whilst working at Railtrack as a recruitment manager, Mr Howard had signed a contract agreeing not to hold any related posts while employed by them. Despite this, in the three years he worked there, Hire Management submitted invoices to Railtrack for placing contractors and staff totalling 1 million Pounds.
Mrs Howard who was also found guilty was responsible for the administrative and accounting of Hire Management and generated the invoices that her husband then approved. They were also both found guilty of claiming expenses from Railtrack that they were not entitled to but which were also approved by Mr Howard.
As a result Amanda Howard was later sentenced to 40 weeks imprisonment, and Steven Howard was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment. Also ordered to pay back 44,000 each plus 20,668.98 in compensation. The Tribunal banned Mr & Mrs Howard from running an employment related business for the next 10 years.
Edward Davey, the minister responsible for employment relations said the tribunal sends out a clear message to the industry that we will take action against those agents who act illegally.
Danbro
Accountants for Contractors, Marketing Consultant Alex Askew, says Its good news this has been brought to public attention and I hope the publicity this receives tells other recruitment firms and contractors that they must be operating compliantly or face the consequences.
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