The article by Frances Lewis, “New agency workers rule may not be the threat employers feared” (Law at work, 4 June), underestimates the damage that the agency workers directive could cause to agency work as an option for hirers. We believe that the 12-week derogation period agreed by the TUC and CBI last year, after which agency workers are entitled to the same pay and benefits as permanent staff, will affect a substantial number of agency workers and is unnecessary for the higher paid who don’t need protection.