Using your own equipment on site

[moorfield]

I don't use a laptop but instead have a USB pen drive which I always plug in and use on site. This has everything I need on it - apps I can run off it on the local pc, source code from previous projects, all my personal and company stuff. Couldn't live without it.

[Ardesco]

No I do try and do as much as possible to stay outside IR35 but my point is things like this don't help.

It hard because we all know the score and we know clients treat us like employees and we have to do our best not to let it happen but I don't know why it has to be so hard!

To be honest not plugging your own lappy into a network at a client site really has no effect. It is easy enought to prove that the clients security policy does not allow this and is really not a D&C issue as it's a "security" policy. All of the places that I have worked at that refused to let people plug thier own kit into the network has refused any external consultancies as well. You want on the clients network? Yes? In that case you do so with thier machines.

[VectraMan]

Yep - doesn't suggest anything towards IR35 if there's a reason, and security is a good reason.

I use a laptop provided by the client to work at home as well as on site. I need to access specialist hardware, so I need to be on the LAN either physically or via VPN, and their policy doesn't allow me to use anything other than their equipment. I think I'm safe.

[NotAllThere]

I've worked at two sites in the last 7 years that insisted that contractors bring their own laptops. All that happened was that the system administrators checked the laptops for malware, and that they had up to date anti-malware software installed. The contractors verified that they kept their systems clean.

After that it was down to trust. Anyone breaching that trust would have been off project immediately. But we were all there to do a job of work, so the issue never arose.

( When I was recruiting for one of the projects, one candidate expressed disbelief that I required him to go and buy a laptop. He didn't get the gig ).

Plenty of clients allow you to access the internet on your own laptop, through their networks, while otherwise not allowing access to the client systems.

[ladymuck]

I don't use a laptop but instead have a USB pen drive which I always plug in and use on site. This has everything I need on it - apps I can run off it on the local pc, source code from previous projects, all my personal and company stuff. Couldn't live without it.

I wish! My current gig allows nothing. I have to use the client's kit - fine with that, it's a bank so totally understandable. The machines are so locked down they barely function. No internet access (intranet and the bank's own website only). No external email either in or outbound - I can only email internal staff - not a big deal as I would never use the client's email system for non-work anyway but it's hard trying to liaise with KPMG and PWC when I have to ask someone to email them on my behalf. Not being able to get into my own emails is a pain in the parts though. No external devices (usb drives, etc) can be attached, again understandable but a MASSIVE hassle. The CD-rom tray is locked down too. I could get internet and external email unlocked but I don't have any children to offer the blood of, and the internet speed is so slow it's like going old school and downloading over dialup!