Working 2 contracts inside IR35

[randomname]

If there is no conflict of interest, is it legal to work 2 contracts inside IR35 with 2 different firms?

[jamesbrown]

There is no law against multiple employments and no law against running multiple contracts that are inside IR35, notwithstanding any contractual obligations to the contrary, so the answer is in your hands (i.e., read your contracts).

As an aside, if you are running these through two separate intermediaries (e.g., two separate umbrellas), then the tax deductions may not be correct, in the first instance.

[ladymuck]

The usual caveat of managing your clients' expectations applies. If they both are expecting 40 hours a week from you, Monday - Friday, usual office hours then someone is going to get grumpy when you're not available when they're expecting you to be.

[northernladuk]

If there is no conflict of interest, is it legal to work 2 contracts inside IR35 with 2 different firms?
Do i have to inform the 2 firms that i will not be working exclusively for them?

It's not illegal as long as the terms dovetail. If you are contracted 9-5 or something that constrains you from both then you will be in breach of contract with both of them which would be illegal. Being inside I very much doubt you'll have the flexibility you'll need to pull this off so I would say in this case no it's not legal.

If you can't tell them then you are clearly doing something wrong.

[jamesbrown]

Pedantic point, but a breach of contract is not likely to be "illegal" or even unlawful. This would be a civil law matter, if at all.

[Lance]

Pedantic point, but a breach of contract is not likely to be "illegal" or even unlawful. This would be a civil law matter, if at all.

even more pedantic point is that an inside IR35 contract is in almost all cases, a contract of employment, so unlikely to ever become a civil case except where restrictive covenants might come in. They'll just get fired.

[Paddy]

The usual caveat of managing your clients' expectations applies. If they both are expecting 40 hours a week from you, Monday - Friday, usual office hours then someone is going to get grumpy when you're not available when they're expecting you to be.

The only profession allowed to charge two clients for 40 hours of work concurrently are solicitors.

[northernladuk]

Pedantic point, but a breach of contract is not likely to be "illegal" or even unlawful. This would be a civil law matter, if at all.

That's a good point. I must admit when I was writing that I wondered breach of contract law fell in to legal which it doesn't so thanks for pointing that out. Bearing in mind everyone that asks if something is 'illegal' they generally mean is it wrong and can I get in trouble so the answer is still yes.

[Paralytic]

The only profession allowed to charge two clients for 40 hours of work concurrently are solicitors.

And prostitutes specialising in multi-client markets.

[vetran]

The only profession allowed to charge two clients for 40 hours of work concurrently are solicitors.

wrong. I have happily charged two clients at once.