Agency has no clue what IR35 is

[Eirikur]

Pimp. "got this role, blah blah blah, government department, blah blah, would that be something for you?"
Me yes sounds like a good match what's the rate?"
Pimp £x
Me "ok, it's government is it in scope of IR35 or outside?"
Pimp:????? I think it's erm <long pause> inside
Me: ok then my rate is £x+£200
Pimp let me check with my team I'll call you back
me: ok
1 hour later
Pimp yes we are IR 35 certified
Me: ?????????????????????????
Me: Does that mean inside or outside of IR35?
Pimp: erm you want to work through an umbrella then it's outside
Me: wtf? no I work through a limited company and for umbrella it doesn't really matter if it is in or outside
Pimp: "Ok I will withdraw your application"
Me "why? you still didn't tell me if it is inside or outside. You have other contractors working for you don't you? Can't imagine none of them has ever spoken or asked about it."
Pimp: OK will get back to you
/disconnect

[MonkeysUncle]

Had this happen a number of times. Its shocking how many dont know anything about IR35 even now.

I had an agent last year who had never heard of IR35 or christmas furlough.
When I said the Trust was imposing a furlough from mid Dec to Jan he thought I was lying.
I had to get the Head of Programmes of said Trust to email agent and tell him its real!

[northernladuk]

Had this happen a number of times. Its shocking how many dont know anything about IR35 even now.

I had an agent last year who had never heard of IR35 or christmas furlough.
When I said the Trust was imposing a furlough from mid Dec to Jan he thought I was lying.
I had to get the Head of Programmes of said Trust to email agent and tell him its real!

You can forgive them for not knowing what a furlough is though. I've never seen this term applied, even in the two banking gigs I've had.

The definition of the term says..

fur·lough
1.
a. A leave of absence or vacation, especially one granted to a member of the armed forces.

b. A usually temporary layoff from work.

c. A temporary leave of absence granted to a prisoner under special circumstances, such as the need to attend the funeral of a family member, or for a special purpose, such as participation in a work program.

2. The papers or documents authorizing a leave: The soldiers had their furloughs in their breast pockets.

tr.v. fur·loughed, fur·lough·ing, fur·loughs
1. To grant a furlough to.

2. To terminate the employment of (a worker).

All very employment related so IMO doesn't apply to us. I'm in retail and I expect to be told no contractors to be in for most of December as last year but I don't think it's a furlough. My client doesn't want us in as there is a change freeze and service protection on. There will also be exceptions depending on the areas/work.

Quite happy not to have these periods not called furlough's personally.

[malvolio]

Two possibilities here:

1) The agency does know what IR35 and related things are but CBA to train their cheap, contractor-facing staff nor waste time explaining things to them: they are, after all, merely there to gather CVs.

2) The agency genuinely does not know about IR35, since it is two or three of the above cheap cannon fodder numpties working out of their bedroom having "borrowed" their ex-employer's contact book.

Either way, I will always walk away very quickly from any agency that appears not to understand its own business.

[PerfectStorm]

The definition of the term says..

Quite happy not to have these periods not called furlough's personally.

Good luck with that.

"Sorry lads, no work from mid-december to new year due to furlough"

"Doesn't apply to me, I'm a contractor!"

"what are you still doing here?"

[MonkeysUncle]

You can forgive them for not knowing what a furlough is though. I've never seen this term applied, even in the two banking gigs I've had.

The definition of the term says..


All very employment related so IMO doesn't apply to us. I'm in retail and I expect to be told no contractors to be in for most of December as last year but I don't think it's a furlough. My client doesn't want us in as there is a change freeze and service protection on. There will also be exceptions depending on the areas/work.

Quite happy not to have these periods not called furlough's personally.

Interesting, I thought that was a common term as I have heard it at all the places I have contracted (except 1 - but then I wasnt there during Dec).
I wouldn't have associated it with employment either as in my experience its only been for contractors. Permies have had to still come in.

[northernladuk]

Good luck with that.

"Sorry lads, no work from mid-december to new year due to furlough"

"Doesn't apply to me, I'm a contractor!"

"what are you still doing here?"

No no no no. I didn't mean it doesn't apply. I'm just not a fan of the term to describe periods the clients don't want us in for whatever reason. The definition of the term keeps mentioning granted absence or leave and all that. It's not quite what we do. I guess it's close enough and I'm just being pedantic. Just my opinion of the term.

Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned it

[fibio]

No no no no. I didn't mean it doesn't apply. I'm just not a fan of the term to describe periods the clients don't want us in for whatever reason. The definition of the term keeps mentioning granted absence or leave and all that. It's not quite what we do. I guess it's close enough and I'm just being pedantic. Just my opinion of the term.

Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned it

Current agency call it a "suspension of services" in written communications. I think 'furlough' was used as a shorthand and has now become common usage.

[PerfectStorm]

As to the original question, I've had agents assure me the contract "Isn't IR35" due to being much less than 24 months in length. Jobs a goodun'

[ladymuck]

Interesting, I thought that was a common term as I have heard it at all the places I have contracted (except 1 - but then I wasnt there during Dec).
I wouldn't have associated it with employment either as in my experience its only been for contractors. Permies have had to still come in.

That happened last year with current ClientCo - the 'furlough' applied to contractors (except those exempted) and not permies. A lot of permies took leave over Christmas/New Year anyway, especially when they realised that all the people who do the work weren't going to be there to support a roll out that management decided had to happen on the Friday before the furlough started. Oh how I laughed and then took an extra couple of weeks off on top of that mandated.