Policy Quiz? WTF?

[pleomax]

Just received this email from the agencies onsite coordinator;

"Dear Contractors,

ClientCo requires all contractors that have been contracting on-site for over 90 days to complete a compulsory business ethics quiz.
Please find attached a presentation on Business Ethics that requires the answers at the end to be completed; I have attached answer sheet. You have one week to complete and return the attached answer sheet to me via e-mail or in person for marking. The pass mark is 7 out of 10 and needs to be achieved if not the first time then the second."

Would this have any affect on my IR35 status?
Should I read anything else into the last sentence?

[pmeswani]

Just received this email from the agencies onsite coordinator;

"Dear Contractors,

ClientCo requires all contractors that have been contracting on-site for over 90 days to complete a compulsory business ethics quiz.
Please find attached a presentation on Business Ethics that requires the answers at the end to be completed; I have attached answer sheet. You have one week to complete and return the attached answer sheet to me via e-mail or in person for marking. The pass mark is 7 out of 10 and needs to be achieved if not the first time then the second."

Would this have any affect on my IR35 status?
Should I read anything else into the last sentence?

From my understanding, IR35 issues mainly applies to what is in your contract... not to anything outside your contract. It is almost like saying, would you consider not using the staff kettle or toilets in case it affected your IR35 status? I wouldn't read too much into the test. If you don't want to do it, then don't.

[expat]

Just received this email from the agencies onsite coordinator;

"Dear Contractors,

ClientCo requires all contractors that have been contracting on-site for over 90 days to complete a compulsory business ethics quiz.
Please find attached a presentation on Business Ethics that requires the answers at the end to be completed; I have attached answer sheet. You have one week to complete and return the attached answer sheet to me via e-mail or in person for marking. The pass mark is 7 out of 10 and needs to be achieved if not the first time then the second."

Would this have any affect on my IR35 status?
Should I read anything else into the last sentence?

What if you don't pass?

[BrilloPad]

Personally I just go with the flow and do these things.

Maybe I am a permietractor......

[pleomax]

What if you don't pass?

I get to work from home and get three hours of my day back?

[TheFaQQer]

From my understanding, IR35 issues mainly applies to what is in your contract... not to anything outside your contract. It is almost like saying, would you consider not using the staff kettle or toilets in case it affected your IR35 status? I wouldn't read too much into the test. If you don't want to do it, then don't.

No - an IR35 investigation will apply what is in the implied contract, i.e. the actual working practices that applied to you. You can have the most watertight IR35 contract in the world, but if you act like an employee and are treated as an employee, that's what HMRC would call you.

[TheFaQQer]

Just received this email from the agencies onsite coordinator;

"Dear Contractors,

ClientCo requires all contractors that have been contracting on-site for over 90 days to complete a compulsory business ethics quiz.
Please find attached a presentation on Business Ethics that requires the answers at the end to be completed; I have attached answer sheet. You have one week to complete and return the attached answer sheet to me via e-mail or in person for marking. The pass mark is 7 out of 10 and needs to be achieved if not the first time then the second."

Would this have any affect on my IR35 status?
Should I read anything else into the last sentence?

Not sure I like the last sentence - who did this come from? Ask them what happens if the "pass mark" is not achieved.

Tell them that this kind of thing should be sent by post to the HR department at your employer's head office. Then leave it a few months.

[CDM]

I was working for a city investment bank until recently and everyone (employees and contractors alike) were required to complete an online training thing for insider and ethical trading. I think the pass mark was also 7/10 so it might be this is the same thing. Everyone was told they had to do the training and pass the test regardless of function or position.

It was actually quite hard and there were lots of financial terminology banded about in the test which made me wonder what secretaries, clerks and other staff with non-financial backgrounds fared.

We were all told that we would not be able to continue to work there without doing the training AND passing the test!

- CDM

[Cheshire Cat]

From my understanding, IR35 issues mainly applies to what is in your contract... not to anything outside your contract. It is almost like saying, would you consider not using the staff kettle or toilets in case it affected your IR35 status? I wouldn't read too much into the test. If you don't want to do it, then don't.

Steer well clear if you ask me.
As for the kettle and bogs question: a prickly pear indeed.
I always advise taking in your own thermos of hot water (company branded if possible) and teabags into the client site, and take along a plastic bag too. This way you can take a dump at the desk, and sling the plastic bag in the public bins outside the office.
Let those HMRC b******s catch you out on THAT one!

[moorfield]

I was working for a city investment bank until recently and everyone (employees and contractors alike) were required to complete an online training thing for insider and ethical trading. I think the pass mark was also 7/10 so it might be this is the same thing. Everyone was told they had to do the training and pass the test regardless of function or position.

Ditto. I just kept repeating the multi choice test options until I passed it without bothering to read through the training guff. About 45 mins of my life wasted. These kind of things go with the territory, just go with it, not too much to worry about re working conditions etc. etc.