Launched on 17 April, tempz.com claims to be the world's first on-line temp agency.

Tempz.com aims to put the temporary worker in control of their assignments, providing them with a free service. Temporary staff looking for assignments will be able to complete their own web page, where they can enter details of their skills, experience and working hours available. Tempz.com will assess the skills they can offer and let them know the going rate for the type of work they are seeking. Their rates will be automatically raised if the demand for work increases.

Operating as an interface between employers and temporary staff, tempz.com will offer on-line timesheets and will manage payroll and other employment-related processes direct. By having a purely web presence it aims to cut costs to offer a cheaper and more flexible service to employers.

Tempz.com hopes to allay any concerns about verifying the information provided by temps with an on-line accreditation process, using references and comments from previous employers.

Tempz.com also offers a chat zone where temps can go to exchange information and share experiences of employers, good or bad.

Set up by Chris Leonard, former MD of Securicor Recruitment Services, tempz.com is launching initially for the London market and hopes to expand nationwide by the end of the year. It will be competing with the recently-launched internet operations of established temping agencies such as Reed, but aims to undercut them by keeping down staff numbers.