Employment Agencies
 

Does anyone have any opinions or experience with employment agencies that charge the employee a fee based on the job they find them?

I've never used one but from my understanding when I've been looking most are a scam. Good employment agencies will get their fees from the employers not the candidates.

Sounds like a scam to me. They shouldn't be charging the employees a fee, they should be charging the employers. Stay away.

Add my vote to the "scam" theory. The employer should always pay the fee.

Except in the case perhaps of very specialized job placement companies you should not pay a fee. All fees should be paid by the employer to agency.

That said, if we're talking temp work (or temp-to-hire) the amount per hour you get paid will be less than the amount per hour the company will pay your agency. If that is what they mean by a fee ("you get $9/hour and they'll pay $12/hour") then that is normal.

Definitely never EVER pay a fee just to get them to look for work for you.

Isn't that called a pimp anyways? ;)

To me, it sounds like a scam. I tried to see if there was anything on Snopes on this in particular, but didn't find anything.

I DID find out something else along similar lines through:

Women in Germany face the loss of unemployment benefits if they decline to accept work in brothels.

(Not true, but it amused me none-the-less)

Same in Australia - Employer pays the fee. (with the exception outlined by Alex above).

Add my vote for a scam too. Legit agencies and headhunters work for the employer and are paid by the employer.

It went like this-

We have 3 jobs we would suggest for you. We get 10% of your first years income. Minimum of a third up front.
If you lose that job for any reasonable cause in the first 90 days we have 15 days to find you a new job. If not, you are off the hook for paying the fee. If you keep the job you make payments yourself for the rest of the year.

Um, no. I am not going to magically come up with $1400 plus to pay a fee to help him find a job when I can't even pay the mortgage.

No thanks.