Agency Contractor Assignment Schedule - what is it and is it binding ?

[originalname]

I've recently left the world of permanent work and joined the freelance IT Contracting community. I have engaged with an agency and have verbally agreed a rate and a start date with them. The client has accepted me for the role and the agency have asked me to go onto their online portal and agree to a Contractor Assignment consisting of amongst other details the period of the Assignment and the rate that applies. The agency have sent me a request to join an umbrella and against the advice of an accountant i have gone down the umbrella route. It’s early days and I will reconsider at my next contract whether to go limited.

Once I have agreed to the Assignment on their portal electronically is the Contractor Assignment binding? Can the agency amend any details of the Assignment such as the dates or rate of pay mid-contract? Where I’m coming from is that I will base my decision on whether to accept the role on the rate that I expect to be paid. I understand that the client can give me a weeks notice and vice versa so the income is not guaranteed. That aside I don’t want to accept the Assignment only to find they agency lower the rate thus causing me major inconvenience.

If the Assignment document on their portal is not legally binding what do I need to do in order to have some guarantee that the Agency can’t mess me about with the rate?

Can the agency change any aspect of the Assignment document once I have agreed to it albeit electronically on their portal?

Any advice and/or comments would be much appreciated.

[LisaContractorUmbrella]

The assignment schedule should be used as an addendum to the contract that they agency will have in place with the umbrella company - has your umbrella advised whether or not they've received the contract? Once they let you know that the contract has been received, signed and returned then the agency is legally bound to honour the terms.

[northernladuk]

Don't forget to get your contract reviewed before you sign it and also be aware if you use the umbrella for just one gig you cannot claim expenses.

[LisaContractorUmbrella]

WNLUKS

[jmo21]

That's a massive post for 1 simple question - can the agency change the rate half way through a contract.

No, most likely they cannot (contract dependant of course, most would not allow this, do what NLUK said, get it reviewed.... even reading it yourself you should be able to figure at least that out)

They could of course tell you they want to reduce the rate. This would then be up to you to agree (they send you a contract amendment) or not agree (they give you your notice, which they may or may not pay ).