Advice Required: Non-payment of Contractor's Wage

[Contractor Query]

Shoes....The Client has refused to sign the timesheets as they believe they are false....so they aren't backtracking, having initially approved them. Does this help the situation at all?


[QUOTE=shoes;672234]If the timesheets are signed by the client you have to pay the contractor for the hours indicated on the timesheets, because they are opted in. If you don't the contractor can probably get you to quite easily by taking legal action.

Getting money out of the end client is your problem, not the contractors. Again if the timesheets are signed I would expect you have a legal avenue to go down should the client refuse to pay.

[QUOTE]

[NotAllThere]

I am arranging to pay him the full amount, as I understand this is my obligation....what I don't know is whether the burden is on my client to prove that the guy didn't do the work, or the contractor to prove he did?

I'm stuck in the middle, trying to mediate, and am hitting my head against a brick wall!

It's not unknown for clients to try it on. If they signed the timesheets, they've not got a leg to stand on... BUT if you want a continuing relationship with them, then you'll maybe have to suffer some loss, in the hope of making more money off them later. Personally, if someone tried to rip me off, I'll sue and won't work with them again.

[Clippy]

I am arranging to pay him the full amount, as I understand this is my obligation....what I don't know is whether the burden is on my client to prove that the guy didn't do the work, or the contractor to prove he did?

I'm stuck in the middle, trying to mediate, and am hitting my head against a brick wall!

I would suggest getting the contractor to write and sign a letter to your Ltd confirming exactly what work he did do with supporting evidence.

If the client starts to play ball, then this will be crucial.

Once you've paid the contractor, getting the above from him will prove tough.