Employment Documents? Do I complete them? Help!

[Emmie Noughton]

I'm currently working via an umbrella company and have been with my client now for just a few weeks. I understand the relationship with my umbrella company and that I am in effect their employee however my client has passed several documents to me today all of which look very much like internal employment documents. They even have 'employee' written on them. Should I be completing them. I'm pretty new to self-employment and I understand that IR35 shouldn't cause me any problems whilst i'm working through an umbrella but a colleague has warned me to steer clear of anything that could make be look like an employee of the client. I'm pretty confused now!

[northernladuk]

It really depends on which documents. Some are perfectly acceptable and have no impact on IR35 such as H&S and Security policy documentation. This would apply to permies and contractors alike. Other documents that might involve yearly performance reviews, benefits and the like should be left well alone, mainly because the don't apply.

Just because a client gives you a document it doesn't mean you immediately fall foul of IR35.

[DaveB]

If you are working with an umbrella then it's irrelevent as you are already an paid employee of the brolly and paying PAYE and NI as you should ( Hector) so IR35 doesn't apply. Assuming your not part of a dodgy offshore loan/trust/give us yer money and we'll look after it for ya, honest scheme.

As long as the client don't start trying to get you to sign up to payroll and asking for your NI details etc you should be fine.

You can always ask your brolly to clarify the situation and talk to the client and explain your concerns.

[Emmie Noughton]

Thank you - I feel much less scared now!