Professional Code

Rules of Practices

Ethical standards, fair practice and professional conduct for recruitment services.

General Principles

General Principles

AHFSA will observe the highest principles of ethics, equity, integrity, professional conduct and fair practice in dealing with others and will conduct their business in a manner designed to enhance the operation, image and reputation of the recruitment industry.

Ethical conduct is not simply compliance with legal requirements but extends to honesty, respect and equitable treatment of others, integrity and social responsibility. It is a conduct that holds up to disclosure and to public scrutiny. AHFSA will act towards candidates, clients and others at all times in good faith. AHFSA should actively seek to support and uphold the prescribed mission and values.

AHFSA has an important role to play in continuously improving standards within the recruitment industry. This Code is binding on all associated companies. Complaints against AHFSA Members from candidates, clients or others, can be investigated under the AHFSA Complaints & Disciplinary Procedure.

Principle 1

Respect for laws

ALHFSA must comply with all relevant legislation, statutory and non-statutory requirements and official guidance and any future amendments to such requirements during the course of providing their services to others.

Principle 2

Respect for honesty and transparency

  • Act honestly in all dealings with jobseekers, clients, members, non-members and others.
  • In the course of representing a jobseeker or client a member shall not knowingly make a false or inaccurate statement, fail to disclose a material fact, or make a representation as to future matters without having reasonable grounds for making it.
  • Must adhere to principles of truth in advertising and will only advertise positions, through any medium, for which they have documented permission to recruit.
  • All fees, charges and services provided must be explicitly and fully disclosed to clients’ prior to the acceptance of an assignment or prior to any work being undertaken for a client.
  • Members should document all key stages of the recruitment process in line with relevant legislation and good practice guidance.
Principle 3

Respect for work relationships

  • AHFSA or its members will not undertake actions that may unfairly or unlawfully jeopardise a jobseeker’s employment.
  • AHFSA will not undertake actions that may unfairly or unlawfully interfere in work relationships established by others.
  • AHFSA will not attempt unfairly or unlawfully to prevent a jobseeker from seeking work from other sources.
  • AHFSA will in their dealings with all jobseekers and clients, they will treat them with respect and aim to work in a fair and open competitive environment.
Principle 4

Respect for diversity

  • AHFSA should adhere to the spirit of all applicable human rights, employment laws and regulations and will treat jobseekers, clients and others without prejudice or unjustified discrimination.
  • AHFSA will treat all jobseekers and clients with dignity and respect and aim to provide equity of employment opportunities based on objective business related criteria.
  • AHFSA should establish working practices that safeguard against unlawful or unethical discrimination in the business operations.
Principle 5

Respect for safety

  • AHFSA will act diligently in assessing risks to jobseekers and clients and will not knowingly put at risk candidates, clients or others.
  • AHFSA will inform jobseekers whenever they have reason to believe that an engagement may cause a risk to health and safety.
Principle 6

Respect for professional knowledge

  • AHFSA will work diligently to develop and maintain a satisfactory level of relevant and current professional knowledge.
  • AHFSA will ensure that our staffs are adequately trained and skilled to undertake the responsibilities in recruitment practice.
Principle 7

Respect for certainty of engagement

  • AHFSA must supply jobseekers 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.
  • AHFSA will ensure that any variation to the engagement can only occur with prior notification and agreement of the worker.
Principle 8

Respect for prompt and accurate payment to staff

  • Pay promptly and accurately any wages and benefits due in accordance with any agreed terms and legal requirements.
  • AHFSA Should not penalise temporary/contract workers, for example for having been late or failed to attend part or all of an assignment or for poor performance, by making deductions from pay due for time that they have actually worked.
  • AHFSA will not take on assignments that could result in their inability to pay temporary / contract workers.
Principle 9

Respect for ethical international recruitment

  • AHFSA must supply all overseas jobseekers with the same level of information as set out and implied in Principle 7. In addition, information provided should include 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 must be provided at no cost to the jobseeker.
  • AHFSA must ensure that in relation to overseas recruitment, all relevant legislation / guidelines provided by Indian Ministry of External Affairs, Saudi Embassy and all the legislation of International Country are being followed and provide all relevant and applicable information to jobseekers, clients and others.
  • AHFSA should observe the highest principles of social responsibility, integrity, professionalism, equity and fair practice in the dealings with all overseas clients and jobseekers.
Principle 10

Respect for confidentiality and privacy

  • AHFSA must observe the highest principles of integrity, professionalism, equity and fair practice to maintain the confidentiality and privacy of candidate and client information and should respect the confidentiality of records in accordance with law and good business practice. AHFSA must ensure that permission has been obtained and documented before disclosing, displaying, submitting or seeking confidential or personal information.