As having to use what Im not keen on, Agency, notice when reading their contracts, just how biased they really are, and boy do they send alot of documentation, as if to hide it within a sea of BS lol.
What Ive noticed is, rate differences are usually those that are hiding some deductions.
Pension scheme opt out ?
Holiday entitlements honoured?
any issues ?
Ask as notice in their contracts, some allow just one week into the next year to claim or loose any built up holiday also curious if leaving, it might become a pain to get this in terms of payment, but just wondered of others expereinces,
How easy is it to switch agencies on the same site ?
TonkaBoy:
As having to use what Im not keen on, Agency, notice when reading their contracts, just how biased they really are, and boy do they send alot of documentation, as if to hide it within a sea of BS lol.
What Ive noticed is, rate differences are usually those that are hiding the fact they deduct for hoilday pay, pension scheme etc, just wondered what others do in these senarios, and there expereinces.
Pension scheme opt out ?
Holiday pay deductions ?
Pension one for me is, already have the original one running, and have made my own investments for any personal top up, so will be asking to opt out, just wondered if others had any hassle with them opting out ?
Holiday pay deductions, as above has anyone said they would prefer to save themselves for holiday’s ?, As notice in their contracts, some allow just one week into the next year to claim or loose any built up holiday pay, yet deduct this, and expect if leaving, it might become a pain to get this owed earnt money back off them, but just wondered of others expereinces,
last one is, has anyone worked for a company through an agency, then changed to another agency on the same site, for whatever reason, and ever been blocked from doing so ?
Not in this situation, but have options at the moment, and so asking to get others expereinces… as could help make a decision.
Are you properly PAYE employed by an agency?
If so, they are your employer, and it is up to them to pay you holiday pay.
They don`t deduct your wages to cover their costs and obligations as an employer.
And from ACAS acas.org.uk/checking-holida … 0do%20this
“Rolled-up holiday pay
You must get paid for your holiday when you take it. If your employer is spreading your holiday pay over the year by adding an amount on top of your hourly rate, this is known as ‘rolled-up’ holiday pay and your employer should not do this.”
If you (as an employee) are being offered this it is illegal.
TonkaBoy:
As having to use what Im not keen on, Agency, notice when reading their contracts, just how biased they really are, and boy do they send alot of documentation, as if to hide it within a sea of BS lol.
What Ive noticed is, rate differences are usually those that are hiding the fact they deduct for hoilday pay, pension scheme etc, just wondered what others do in these senarios, and there expereinces.
Pension scheme opt out ?
Holiday pay deductions ?
any issues optin out of either if requested ?
Ask as notice in their contracts, some allow just one week into the next year to claim or loose any built up holiday pay, yet deduct this, and expect if leaving, it might become a pain to get this owed earnt money back off them, but just wondered of others expereinces,
last one is, has anyone worked for a company through an agency, then changed to another agency on the same site, for whatever reason, and had issues ?
Did you have too , I’d forgotten about that crap ,
Franglais:
And from ACAS acas.org.uk/checking-holida … 0do%20this
“Rolled-up holiday pay
You must get paid for your holiday when you take it. If your employer is spreading your holiday pay over the year by adding an amount on top of your hourly rate, this is known as ‘rolled-up’ holiday pay and your employer should not do this.”
If you (as an employee) are being offered this it is illegal.
Yes I got told that , but the agencies I was with all paid it that way ( % of your hourly rate ) , so there either not bothered or they know something most on here don’t seem to know
TonkaBoy:
As having to use what Im not keen on, Agency, notice when reading their contracts, just how biased they really are, and boy do they send alot of documentation, as if to hide it within a sea of BS lol.
What Ive noticed is, rate differences are usually those that are hiding the fact they deduct for hoilday pay, pension scheme etc, just wondered what others do in these senarios, and there expereinces.
Pension scheme opt out ?
Holiday pay deductions ?
any issues optin out of either if requested ?
Ask as notice in their contracts, some allow just one week into the next year to claim or loose any built up holiday pay, yet deduct this, and expect if leaving, it might become a pain to get this owed earnt money back off them, but just wondered of others expereinces,
last one is, has anyone worked for a company through an agency, then changed to another agency on the same site, for whatever reason, and had issues ?
I was given 2 options , leave it in a pot with agency & get paid when on hol , or paid weekly in your wages , I choose weekly because if you jack they’ve not got ££££ of your money , I just put £100 out of my wages into a separate account for holidays
Pension was as normal as far as I could tell
If you think those are bad wait to you have to sit in a classroom X 5 on a sat , not paid & paying for the cpc course !! Then there’s your glasses / medical you have to pay for , £57/£76 for 2 weeks sick , uniform etc etc etc
But I’m sure the top rung agency will be along shortly to tell you how they get full holiday pay , sick pay & all about there gold plated pensions
Nb I remember them telling me I was a mug working full time for a pittance while they earnt this that & everything , then strangely when that Swedish thing arrived they were all celebrating getting pay parity with employed drivers !!!
Was mainly looking for others experience, with it.
Mainly with opting out of pension side of things, and time scales.
Holidays accrude being paid correctly, and opportunity to take them, without repercussions,
I’ve made an assumption on holiday payments, as compared two and just looked to be the differences around holidays, so will reword that on original post.
I worked for Extra Staff for 6 months and took holiday at the end of it, but I think the holiday pay was closer to 6% than 12% of pay received. I’ve asked them a few times about it but always get fobbed off and they never call back.
It’s a bit awkward when you don’t want to burn your bridges with them and say take them to small claims court.
I imagine it would be difficult to switch agencies on same site. Poaching comes to mind, client should be wary of being liable for fees to both agencies.
TonkaBoy:
Ask as notice in their contracts, some allow just one week into the next year to claim or loose any built up holiday also curious if leaving, it might become a pain to get this in terms of payment, but just wondered of others expereinces,
"Carrying over leave
The worker’s contract says how many days’ leave they can carry over into the next year.
If a worker gets 28 days’ leave, they can carry over a maximum of 8 days.
If a worker gets more than 28 days’ leave, their employer may allow them to carry over any additional untaken leave. Check the employment contract, company handbook or intranet to see what the rules say." gov.uk/holiday-entitlement-rights/print
Mostly depends on your own contract.
Ive known employers carry across more than 8 days, but they arent obliged to at all.
stu675:
I worked for Extra Staff for 6 months and took holiday at the end of it, but I think the holiday pay was closer to 6% than 12% of pay received. I’ve asked them a few times about it but always get fobbed off and they never call back.
It’s a bit awkward when you don’t want to burn your bridges with them and say take them to small claims court.
Thanks Stu, chasing could become aukward, and why asking others expereinces. rather avoid it to start with…
stu675:
I imagine it would be difficult to switch agencies on same site. Poaching comes to mind, client should be wary of being liable for fees to both agencies.
didnt think of the fees to client aspect… so tha’ll be a ‘no’ in my mind now
Was mainly looking for others experience, with it.
Mainly with opting out of pension side of things, and time scales.
Holidays accrude being paid correctly, and opportunity to take them, without repercussions,
I’ve made an assumption on holiday payments, as compared two and just looked to be the differences around holidays, so will reword that on original post.
Ta.
I’ve done agency work most of the last 28 years and always on PAYE, no umbrella companies, no Ltd. I’ve worked for national agencies, local agencies and two who one man bands. I was working for agency when the government gave agency workers the right to holiday pay. At the start it was rolled up into the hourly rate but when that became illegal agencies I worked for went one of two routes:
Calculate your holiday pay as an average of the previous 12 weeks (now 12 months), substituting any work in which no work was done with an additional week.
(and the one I thought was fairest) Put an amount (12.07% of your hourly rate) for every hour you work into a “holiday pot” which you could take when you wanted.
Never had a problem getting holiday pay although I did have to argue the amount with one or two who seemed incapable of working out my daily average from the previous 12 weeks.
In regards to leave you’ve not taken. Under the Working Time Directive they have to make you take at least 20 days and they must give you the chance to use your annual leave before the end of the leave year. There is no legal right to have leave carried over, use it or lose it. My current agency though when it’s been busy in March beause of all the permanent staff running out their unused leave has carried it over so we could be available for work.
In regards to the workplace pension, I’ve never been asked to opt out.
The only people who could be having their annual leave and pension deducted from what they get paid are those who use umbrella companies to lower their tax bill.
This calculator will tell you your entitlement to leave.
If you quit a job, politely let them know, in your resignation letter, that you know how much holiday pay in lieu you expect. gov.uk/calculate-your-holiday-entitlement
Ed to add, AS Conor says work out wh.at your pay should be based on what you have been paid.
Useful site here
Like Connor I’ve worked for agencies for years, and never had any serious problems.
If you’re working for agencies how you look at holidays and pensions will depend on your decision on how long you stay working for agencies. If it’s only short term then opt out of as much as possible as you won’t likely accrue any benefits worth taking. If you decide you are in for the long haul then you should decide what you want. Personally I opted out of auto enrolment of the pension. Mainly because of my age and I’m already in receipt of pension benefits elsewhere.
If I want holidays I’ll either book the day off unpaid or ask for paid leave, but I usually take an unpaid day for dental appointments etc and save the paid time for foreign holidays
TonkaBoy:
How easy is it to switch agencies on the same site ?
Depends on the site. WHen I was at eurocarparts they had a rule if you leave the current agency you can’t work there through a different one for 6 months (or weeks, can’t remember) the way it was explained was to prevent drivers from agency-hopping if one was to up their rates by say £.50
TonkaBoy:
How easy is it to switch agencies on the same site ?
Depends on the site. WHen I was at eurocarparts they had a rule if you leave the current agency you can’t work there through a different one for 6 months (or weeks, can’t remember) the way it was explained was to prevent drivers from agency-hopping if one was to up their rates by say £.50
What! Hinder the free-market? Prevent freedom to sell labour to the highest bidder?
I wonder who benefits from that? Employer or employee?? (rhetorical question of course)
TonkaBoy:
How easy is it to switch agencies on the same site ?
Depends on the site. WHen I was at eurocarparts they had a rule if you leave the current agency you can’t work there through a different one for 6 months (or weeks, can’t remember) the way it was explained was to prevent drivers from agency-hopping if one was to up their rates by say £.50
What! Hinder the free-market? Prevent freedom to sell labour to the highest bidder?
I wonder who benefits from that? Employer or employee?? (rhetorical question of course)
tf has this to do with free market? You’re still free to find another job with another agency elsewhere (and then come back on the higher rate if you want - which I kind of did albeit unintentionally)
You think average rates at a particular site would be higher if they allowed only a single agency or lower. I know the profits for a single agency with monopoly would be definitely higher, multiple agencies have to compete to attract 1) the customer and 2) the drivers so they have to sacrifice profit to offer lower charging rates to the employer and higher pay rates to the drivers
TonkaBoy:
How easy is it to switch agencies on the same site ?
Depends on the site. WHen I was at eurocarparts they had a rule if you leave the current agency you can’t work there through a different one for 6 months (or weeks, can’t remember) the way it was explained was to prevent drivers from agency-hopping if one was to up their rates by say £.50
What! Hinder the free-market? Prevent freedom to sell labour to the highest bidder?
I wonder who benefits from that? Employer or employee?? (rhetorical question of course)
tf has this to do with free market? You’re still free to find another job with another agency elsewhere (and then come back on the higher rate if you want - which I kind of did albeit unintentionally)
You think average rates at a particular site would be higher if they allowed only a single agency or lower. I know the profits for a single agency with monopoly would be definitely higher, multiple agencies have to compete to attract 1) the customer and 2) the drivers so they have to sacrifice profit to offer lower charging rates to the employer and higher pay rates to the drivers
You`re not free to go immediately from one agency to another. You are hindered.
You are not prevented indefinitely, but a free change is not allowed.
Prevent freedom to sell labour to the highest bidder?