Computer People

[Zorba]

It's actually against the law, full stop. As is removing the VAT element from entirely legitimate business expenses, as they have done to me (but only once...)

Why do you think I won't use them?

What he said. CP don't give a flying t*ss, in my opinion. If you can figure out who the client is and find out who their other agencies are, try that. Sneaky but can work.

[TheFaQQer]

What he said. CP don't give a flying t*ss, in my opinion. If you can figure out who the client is and find out who their other agencies are, try that. Sneaky but can work.

I tried that, but the other agencies I spoke to said that they had to go through CP as well

[Zorba]

I tried that, but the other agencies I spoke to said that they had to go through CP as well

Ouch. I hate it when that happens.

My worst mistake with a similar agency was to start work on the promise that the contract would catch up. The agency became amazingly unhelpful and unyielding once I'd started, so all the IR35 related changes to the contract that I'd requested were mainly knocked back. Contract wasn't too bad in the first place, but still... Next time I'll sit at home. Didn't want to annoy the client - repeat business, but client never goes direct so I didn't have a choice.

[Epiphone]

They gave me the most IR35 unfriendly contract ever, because I opted into the agency regulations, and would only offer a better one if I opted out.

That's not legal.

[Ardesco]

That's not legal.

I think it is legal, although they are treading on the edges of the law here. They cannot refuse to offer you the job if you refuse to opt out, but I belive they are allowed to fiddle with some terms and conditions.

IMHO it is bordering on the illegal, but would really need somebody to take them to court with a test case to get anything done about it. (Anybody up for a fight ?? )

[Epiphone]

I think it is legal, although they are treading on the edges of the law here. They cannot refuse to offer you the job if you refuse to opt out, but I belive they are allowed to fiddle with some terms and conditions.

Aye, I've just skimmed through the PCG guide again and it's a gray area.

(Anybody up for a fight ?? )

Yeah, the PCG should be. How do we get em to take it up? Or are CP one of the big ones the PCG just offer advice to and get told to pee off?

[malvolio]

Aye, I've just skimmed through the PCG guide again and it's a gray area.




Yeah, the PCG should be. How do we get em to take it up? Or are CP one of the big ones the PCG just offer advice to and get told to pee off?

Are you a member? You can always ask them directly on their fora... PCG have faced down bigger people than CP in the past, so that's not a consideration

Anyway, I'm minded to ask myself, so I'll stick something up and see what materialises...

[Troll]

Could be in line with a gig with these guys, and have heard "mixed" opinions about whether they are good, bad or IR35 unfriendly.

Can anybody supply ggod points / bad points from recent experience ?

Are they happy to alter contracts or is it standard and thats it ?

Best avoid CP if possible - trouble is they are preferred supplier with some big names

Their opening gambit is usually to inform you that their contract is caught by IR35 and they would not modify mine- but the contract is only one aspect of your work practice

Their mission statement is "to be the agency of choice for contractors" which is laughable

They have some nice tottie working in their contractor relations dept

After 3 months I declined the offered extension and went to another client with an agency that basically let me write my own contract

HTH

[TheFaQQer]

I think it is legal, although they are treading on the edges of the law here. They cannot refuse to offer you the job if you refuse to opt out, but I belive they are allowed to fiddle with some terms and conditions.

IMHO it is bordering on the illegal, but would really need somebody to take them to court with a test case to get anything done about it. (Anybody up for a fight ?? )

It seems perfectly legal to me. They are under no obligation to offer the contract that you want - it's up to you to accept it or not. Frustrating, but legal.

Completely unethical, but since when has that bothered agencies?

[Ardesco]

It seems perfectly legal to me. They are under no obligation to offer the contract that you want - it's up to you to accept it or not. Frustrating, but legal.

Completely unethical, but since when has that bothered agencies?

I have already said that I believe it is legal, however it goes against the intentions of the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003. The regulations state that you should not be refused a job because you decide to opt in to prevent agencies from bullying people to opt out.

I would argue that Computer People are in effect trying to bully you into opting out by offering preferential contractual terms if you do and crippling the contract if you dont. IMHO this is a loophole in the regulations that ought to be closed up.

I suspect that if you took this to court you would have a good chance of winning, but until a test case has gone through the courts and the legislation is clarified agencies like Computer People will continue to get away with this.