Acorn Recruitment www.acornpeople.com

An unforgiving company. Take a sick day off in years and they won’t cover it as holiday. They pay buttons and then punish you for a random sick day? Who needs a company like that? They need to recognise their assets, especially since they offer so little.

(This is for Cornwall/Barnstaple) For the 3rd time the same 'consultant' (haha) has promised to call me back about a job and hasn't bothered (3 different jobs). I wish I could name her here. These are not the only cases and the women I've needed to speak to are never at their desks and are always unavailable. Never any responses to emails. These are all cases where they have left me a voicemail or email and then totally ignore my responses. Same situation in 2018 when I was looking for teaching assistant work.

Money is extremely tight for jobseekers and 'phone usage in particular has to be kept very efficient. Maybe they treat employers more professionally but to me they have simply been rude!

I've worked for acorn for 14 months now never had any major problems with them I would like to take this chance to thank acorn for the work they got for me I'm now moving on to a different job and would like to wish acorn all the best for the future

I have worked for Acorn since February. In that time they have messed up my pay 5 times!

The first time my bills were due out of the bank. My pay did not arrive. When I asked I was told they had sent me a cheque when I was on BACS! I insisted on a cash payment. The second time their pay system failed so I had to take an advance; my wages were calcd in with the following week. I ended up 40 pounds out of pocket because they had messed up the figures. The third time they failed to process my timesheet so a cash payment had to be made again; this happened again a month later. This week was the cream of the crop though. I had a week's holiday and sent my timesheet in advance with the one from the week I had worked. To ensure receipt of payment I sent it to payroll, my agent and the manager. Guess what? No pay! I emailed with a copy of my original email attachments to he told " Sorry. This does not apoear to have been processed. We can make a cash payment or pay double next week." I opted for the cash which was fine until I received a snotogram from one of their staff telling me that this was not their normal procedure and how much they had gone out of their way to make payment! I was furious particularly as they said I had only accrued 4 days hols when I had 5.5 to take. I sent them a copy of my own holiday accrual calculator so they know I won't be cheated.

Holidays are another thing you have to fight for. If you know your rights you will know that after 3 months you are entitled to the same amount as a regulatlr employee. It took me a month of email arguments to receive the extra 8 days I was entitled to.

They are not sympathetic either. My mother in law died and I was told I was not entitled to any leave at all. Thankfully the company I work for allowed me 3 days compassionate leave on full pay. The company I work for are brilliant and have paid for loads of training for me including hotel stays and travel. Just a shame Acorn are so rubbish.

Took me 6 weeks to Receive payment for some overtime. The Preston branch ignored my requests to resolve this and only after a grievance with Head office was I eventually paid.

They sent me for an interview and failed to tell me what job I was applying for. Very embarrassing to turn up at a place unprepared. Luckily the employer agreed they were terrible and I got a job.

This week they have failed to pay any of their staff and not notified anybody. I found out by chance when I asked where my wage slip was. They threatened not to pay me for another week if I didn't attendtoday. After an argument I am getting a cash payment tomorrow.

If you can help it, avoid the Preston branch of Acorn!

Acorn recruitment, a list of wrong doings:

Employ you, without telling you that after 12 weeks you will be forced to sign a Swedish deregation contract, which means you get rubbish pay compared to full time employees, or you'll be out of a job.

They have favourites, I.e. shifts are supposedly shared out equally, and rightly so, during quiet times, people like myself receive one shift a week, nornall a night shift, whereas the favoured ones, still receive at least two say shifts, there are certain people that get treated far better than others.

They use your holidays to top up your wage, without asking, or telling you that they are doing so, is this even legal? I think not.

Overall, they are nice to start with, but the women who deal with the employees at my place of work are a disgrace, I wouldn't advise any one to take up work with this company, and I will be leaving ASAP.

i worked for pmp recruitment in a factory for 7 months with hearing aids and had no problems whatsoever .. but the factory bosses changed to acorn and as soon as i declaired to them i was deaf they have been ignoring me not paying me on time have buggered up my tax code so am losing money .... i feel they are not giving me the work i need cause i have a disability