About APSO

The Association of Personnel Service Organisations (APSO) was established in 1977 and continues to represent its members in their dealings with Government and related bodies. APSO promotes and ensures, for the benefit of both clients and candidates, the adherence to high ethical and professional standards of business.

The recruitment industry currently has no, or very low, barriers to entry, which means that clients and candidates can find themselves dealing with inexperienced or unprofessional operators.

All APSO members are required to meet certain minimum criteria before membership is granted.

These include among others:
• Legal compliance;
• Professional standards of operation;
• Fair labour practice; and
• Adherence to the APSO Code of Ethics.

This code prescribes the minimum levels of service required by APSO, to be given to clients, candidates and other stakeholders.

It sets clear guidelines on issues such as search and selection, recruitment practices, reference checking, interviewing and fee resolution, in the case of a dispute between two agencies.

In addition, APSO is focused on improving the professionalism of the recruitment industry, by providing training and continuous professional development for our members and their employees. APSO works closely with the Services SETA and other stakeholders to ensure that APSO members remain at the “top” when it comes to delivering recruitment services to their clients and candidates.

These days, many client companies choose only to deal with an APSO member and list this as a requirement for tendering for recruitment contracts.

Ethics

All APSO members are bound by the APSO Code of Ethics. The code aims to uplift and maintain a professional image for the labour recruitment industry. This Code has been drawn up, in line with International Best Practice and is used to ensure that all APSO members work according to the same set of ethics, recruitment principles and guidelines.

The APSO Code of Ethics prescribes the minimum levels of service required by APSO, to be given to clients, candidates and other stakeholders.

It sets clear guidelines on issues such as:
• Search & selection;
• Recruitment practices;
• Reference checking;
• Interviewing; and
• Fee dispute resolution.

Very important information that every candidate should know regarding any recruitment process is the following:

Should you want to read the entire APSO Code of Ethics, please visit their website: Click here to download the APSO Code of Ethics

The Code of Ethics of: The Association of Personnel Service Organisations (APSO) and the Educational Institute of Personnel Service Consultants (IPSC)

2. General

2.6 Members shall not, directly or indirectly, charge any registration fees to Candidates;

2.11 Members shall respect the rights of competitors and refrain from negative criticism or acts of unfair competition;

4. Candidate Service

4.1 The Member and Labour Recruitment Consultant(s) in its employ shall, at all times:
4.1.1 Respect the privacy and dignity of the individual;
4.1.2 Ensure that all Candidate information is treated as confidential and used exclusively for the purpose of selection and recruitment;
4.1.3 Obtain from Candidates, in as much detail as possible, all information pertaining to their personal record, employment history, qualifications, skills, experience and job/career requirements as are necessary to ensure proper non-discriminatory matching on their behalf;

4.1.4 Not submit details of any Candidate to any client without first:
4.1.4.1 Describing all relevant details relating to the job specification (e g name of client, title and nature of position, key performance areas, hours, salary, benefits, etc.); and
4.1.4.2 Obtaining the Candidate's permission;

4.1.5 In the absence of an assignment, Members may market a Candidate to specified clients on express approval from the Candidate;
4.1.6 Not withhold the name of the client unless expressly requested to do so by the client;
4.1.7 Inform the Candidate of the results of any interview arranged by the Member;
4.1.8 Ensure that psychological testing of the Candidate is only carried out by persons qualified and registered in terms of current legislation; and
4.1.9 Not offer inducements of any kind to any Candidate in order to persuade him/her to accept an offer of employment.

4.2 The Member and Labour Recruitment Consultant(s) in its employ shall, at all times during the interview process ensure that:
4.2.1 Such interviews are conducted in a manner that preserves the Candidates’ privacy, confidentiality and, as far as possible, anonymity from other Candidates;
4.2.2 All Candidates be interviewed by a Labour Recruitment Consultant;
4.2.2.1 From similar experience or background and / or with a qualification appropriate to the status of the Candidate; and / or
4.2.2.2 At least with a proper understanding of the assignment and the seniority of the Candidate.
4.2.3 Ensure that adequate notes be taken during the interview, which shall form the basis of the Labour Recruitment Consultant's report for the benefit of the client;
4.2.4 Ensure that the Candidate furnish the Labour Recruitment Consultant with originals or certified photocopies of qualifications and, wherever any doubt exists as to validity of these documents a process of verification must be entered into; and
4.2.5 All qualifications must be verified with the relevant authority.
4.2.6 Ensure that the Client be notified, in writing, where qualification(s) cannot be verified.

4.3 With regards references, the Member and Labour Recruitment Consultant(s) in its employ shall at all times ensure that;
4.3.1 Where references are checked, this be done with discretion and in a manner that will not endanger the Candidate’s future employment; and
4.3.2 Where a reference on the Candidates’ current present position and duties is required, it only is done with the written permission of the Candidate.
4.3.3 Clients shall strictly be advised, in writing, not to take any references without the prior permission of the Candidate, the Member, or the Labour Recruitment Consultant employed by the Member; and
4.3.4 That where references are obtained that no referee be given the name of the Client company without the Client's specific and, preferably written permission.


9. Fee Arbitration

9.1 In all cases relating to fee disputes between Members, the Ethics Committee uses the following principles, which take precedence over Members’ Terms and Conditions of Business: The party who will be regarded as the effective cause of the placement (and therefore entitled to the placement fee) is generally the party who has completed all of the following three steps:

9.1.1 Interviewed the candidate;
9.1.2 Obtained the Candidate's permission to release his / her details to that specific Client company for that specific vacancy; and
9.1.3 Successfully made an introduction by obtaining the Client Company’s acceptance of the Candidate as an applicant for that vacancy.
(Client's acceptance is defined as an interview between the client and Candidate, which is arranged by the Member at the request of the client)


9.2 The NEC and the Ethics Committee shall retain all rights to make a decision if neither agency completed all three steps.

9.3 The NEC and the Ethics Committee shall consider both parties adherence to all sections of the Code of Ethics during deliberation of cases and in the process of arriving at decisions.