Short-term contract - do I opt in or out?

[wheelsonthebus]

I have been offered a short term contract with a large employer and asked if I want to opt in (re business employment regulations) or opt out. Despite having Googled this, I have no idea. I am registered self employed but do not have a limited company (don't earn enough.) The umbrella agency handling my temporary employment says most people it acts for opt out? Any advice anyone on best thing to do - and the implications?

If they are talking about employment rights, they are not something you opt in or out of. Either you are employed or you are not, neither you nor the employer get to decide that.

I presume you are an agency worker with this umbrella agency currently? Is the contract with the same employer? If so, is the agency not able to explain what it means?

It may be that you could continue as an agency worker or become employed directly by the employer. I'm not sure I can see many advantages to staying with an agency if you could be employed directly tbh. You get the same terms and conditions as an agency worker now after 12 weeks, but you don't start accruing the same rights as you do when you work for an employer direct.