Implications of walking out

[premiere]

Not Ipswich...London, Holborn.

The only people I know doing this sort of thing in Ipswich is British Telecom Media & Broadcast

[interested]

Very simple. Find someone at the client who can bash the agency a bit - procurement manager should do the trick.

You should also escalate it with the agency - not easy with Progressive I know but here's the board of S3. Sunil might be the person to contact.

http://www.sthree.com/index.php?mod=about&page=board&menudata=1|3

They also seem to have breached their own candidate charter

http://www.progressive.co.uk/index.p...nudata=about,2

Email [email protected]

Lessons learned? Never, ever trust S3.

But I have to say - all that took me 2 mins of research on the web. Sounds like you need to get up off your backside and do something about it.

[premiere]

Thanks interested.

Actually have done something...and escalated and found the real reason why no contract (hard copy) or payroll info etc.

Turns out the end client has only just raised the paperwork (found this out after speaking to HR here) internally...They will not issue a PO number to regressive until internal paperwork is signed off (justifying my job etc)...and the ''only'' person that can do that here, is out until the end of next week...on his frigging hols!

Have spoken to Senior bod at Regressive and they have said that's why I ain't got the timesheet info and hard copy contract blah blah. They insist that they have a PO number first...

Watch this space.........................................

[lukemg]

Sounds like progress, agency is waiting to make sure they will get the cash and using you as the risk taker if they don't (although I reckon you could sue them for the cash owed regradless of whether the agency gets screwed). I reckon it is just a timing issue and will shake itself out, these things take time to work through the system.
You have been treated badly and taken the right route - always escalate as high up the chain as possible, they carry the biggest sticks.
I wouldn't have walked at this stage with this much cash at stake and more to come ! I might be naieve but if it's a big co and a big agency I would be inclined to believe it's a paperwork glitch at some point (as it has turned out to be) and they say we don't take any business risk...

[AtW]

(although I reckon you could sue them for the cash owed regradless of whether the agency gets screwed).

100% - unless they go bust and can't pay at all.

[Paddy]

Have you opted in or out of the employment regulations. If opted in then surely timesheet does not have to be signed to get paid.

On one of my cases suing an agent for late payment, his defence was that he had not received a timesheet. The Judge said that was irrelevant. In the Judges own words “If he did the work, you must pay him. If he invoiced you and the work was done it is totally irrelevant if you have a time sheet or not”

[AtW]

Good to hear Paddy that you had your day in court - I bet you were very pleased with getting justice in it: the agent maybe did not learn a lesson, but at least he had the humiliation of losing in court.

[tim123]

Strangely enough, my agent is given me exactly the same run around.

Differences are:
It's not an S3 anency,
They don't use electronic timesheets/self-billing.
The client is interested in giving them a kick.

But I still have no contract after 5 weeks.

I invoiced them for the first 2 weeks work to end Sept.
They didn't pay. They say that they have sorted the problem and are paying today, we will see.

tim

[interested]

Strangely enough, my agent is given me exactly the same run around.

Differences are:
It's not an S3 anency,
They don't use electronic timesheets/self-billing.
The client is interested in giving them a kick.

But I still have no contract after 5 weeks.

I invoiced them for the first 2 weeks work to end Sept.
They didn't pay. They say that they have sorted the problem and are paying today, we will see.

tim

Again, I'd say find someone at the client who will give the agency a kicking - procurement manager is normally the right person, although HR often have the day to day relationship.

[Ardesco]

If you have advised them in writing that you wish to opt-in you are now opted in and there is nothing they can do about it, you can opt-in at any point you want, you can only opt-out before you have met/been interviewed by the client.

Another option is to talk to the company you are working with about going direct. Tell them that agency is not paying you and not honouring your contract so you are going to walk out, but if they would like you can switch to a direct contract with them for £515 per day (Agency will be getting £560/day absolute minimum anyway and more like £600/day in reality). If the business is happy they may well take you on board as they are saving money and know what your standard of work is like and as the agency have not been paying you there is very little they can do about it (no signed contracts anywhere means no clauses!!)