Reply to: Original papers have to be checked in person by agency

[LondonManc]

But what if otherwise they risk losing the services of BillyBiro Ltd?

They did a risk assessment.
Initial Risk: minimal
Issue: BillyBiro Ltd's designated contractor won't prove who he is
Action: don't use BillyBiro Ltd
Residual Risk: minimal

[northernladuk]

Did you not think to tell them they had no legal right to see your passport?

He didn't need to. He pointed out he can see his house from his window and they accepted that.

[Old Greg]

I recently had to do this for a bank. However they were only 15 miles from home.

Did you not think to tell them they had no legal right to see your passport?

[unixman]

I recently had to do this for a bank. However they were only 15 miles from home.

[northernladuk]

As the trend is for organisations to increase their contractor and freelancer workforces, Shoemaker believes that pre-contract screening will become an increasingly standard component of the contract application process

and yet again, the final comment is....

He concludes: “Contractors who are prepared for a thorough background check and can expedite its progress may gain competitive advantage as a result.”

Not sure how many more articles we need before BB drops this stupid argument. Keep the attitude BB, it's your business but please accept you are in the minority here and are bucking all the professional advice we've seen so far. Nothing worse than someone that takes an argument so far with all the physical evidence on the table that stacks against them.

[northernladuk]

Billy seems to be engaged in typical keyboard warrior stuff. We have no idea how he behaves in reality when asked to show a passport to secure a contract with a likely value of 100k +.

Yes we do

[Old Greg]

All lovely in theory. In practice? Very rarely. Have you missed the 100's, nae 1000's of posts we have about agents not flexing on the basic stuff let along anything that impacts their risk status. That's on top of the countless posts about agents showing passports which, in 100% of the times has been resolved to everyone's satisfaction by a passport being produced.

One party has a corporate risk policy that's been put in place by their legal team that will be cast in stone, the other just has to show their passport. Do you think they will understand that they have to go get legal sign off to buck their process when all the other party has to do is show a passport? I don't think so.

Don't get me wrong in all this. I'd love for everything you say to be true and all this push back would work... but the reality is it doesn't. When a contract is in the balance over something that's pretty trivial the argument just falls apart. That's the bit I don't get with your argument. It's just theory and doesn't work yet you are hanging on to it like a starving dog with a bone.

The fact there are so many posts on this and it's happened to everyone that's replying to you has to be evidence that you are thrashing a dead horse. We have absolutely no evidence your push back has worked. Do you see how it ridiculous all this looks to us? I mean, we've posted at least two articles, one you even posted yourself that ends saying you might as well show it. Both articles from professionals with a measured approach putting both sides of the argument but still coming to the same conclusion. One that you just can't get for some obscure reason.

As I've said before, it's just a ridiculous argument that's never going to work so it's just utterly pointless. Sometimes you've got to just appreciate it's stupid but it is what it is and move on. You've spent more time making a pointless argument than I have showing my passport in 10 years. What a win that is.

Billy seems to be engaged in typical keyboard warrior stuff. We have no idea how he behaves in reality when asked to show a passport to secure a contract with a likely value of 100k +.

[Old Greg]

Good luck educating an investment bank that their operational risk policy is too risk averse after the fines they've incurred.

But what if otherwise they risk losing the services of BillyBiro Ltd?

[northernladuk]

Is that a given?

Perhaps you just need to politely educate the agent/client and illustrate to them that they are not the one with legal responsibility to determine your personal details and ability to work in the UK, despite what they may believe.

But I can understand how that may be a difficult ask for you with your attitude.

All lovely in theory. In practice? Very rarely. Have you missed the 100's, nae 1000's of posts we have about agents not flexing on the basic stuff let along anything that impacts their risk status. That's on top of the countless posts about agents showing passports which, in 100% of the times has been resolved to everyone's satisfaction by a passport being produced.

One party has a corporate risk policy that's been put in place by their legal team that will be cast in stone, the other just has to show their passport. Do you think they will understand that they have to go get legal sign off to buck their process when all the other party has to do is show a passport? I don't think so.

Don't get me wrong in all this. I'd love for everything you say to be true and all this push back would work... but the reality is it doesn't. When a contract is in the balance over something that's pretty trivial the argument just falls apart. That's the bit I don't get with your argument. It's just theory and doesn't work yet you are hanging on to it like a starving dog with a bone.

The fact there are so many posts on this and it's happened to everyone that's replying to you has to be evidence that you are thrashing a dead horse. We have absolutely no evidence your push back has worked. Do you see how it ridiculous all this looks to us? I mean, we've posted at least two articles, one you even posted yourself that ends saying you might as well show it. Both articles from professionals with a measured approach putting both sides of the argument but still coming to the same conclusion. One that you just can't get for some obscure reason.

As I've said before, it's just a ridiculous argument that's never going to work so it's just utterly pointless. Sometimes you've got to just appreciate it's stupid but it is what it is and move on. You've spent more time making a pointless argument than I have showing my passport in 10 years. What a win that is.

[LondonManc]

Is that a given?

Perhaps you just need to politely educate the agent/client and illustrate to them that they are not the one with legal responsibility to determine your personal details and ability to work in the UK, despite what they may believe.

But I can understand how that may be a difficult ask for you with your attitude.

Good luck educating an investment bank that their operational risk policy is too risk averse after the fines they've incurred.

[billybiro]

Who will tell you to **** off which is what the client/agent will do if you don't provide it..

Is that a given?

Perhaps you just need to politely educate the agent/client and illustrate to them that they are not the one with legal responsibility to determine your personal details and ability to work in the UK, despite what they may believe.

But I can understand how that may be a difficult ask for you with your attitude.

[ladymuck]

WALOB.

My new favourite acronym; disappointed I never thought of it before, pleased I have it now.

[LondonManc]

But if you don't you won't get the gig. Well argued bruh. You won that point.


Who will tell you to **** off which is what the client/agent will do if you don't provide it.. But you won that point as well.


Ahem. Contractors' Questions: Is an agent entitled to my passport?

Bit of selective quoting there... because at the bottom it says..



So technically yes, you've won an utter pointless argument with truly awful advice. I salute you sir.

You have good rep.

[northernladuk]

I'm not saying that agents/client demands to see your personal details doesn't happen, I'm saying that they have no legal right to demand this of you, despite what they may say or think.

But if you don't you won't get the gig. Well argued bruh. You won that point.

Neither the agent nor client (especially the client as there's no direct relationship between you and/or your Ltd. and the client co.) has the right to see your personal details any more than you have the right to waltz into the client CEO's office and demand to see his passport/bank statement etc.

Who will tell you to **** off which is what the client/agent will do if you don't provide it.. But you won that point as well.


Ahem. Contractors' Questions: Is an agent entitled to my passport?

Bit of selective quoting there... because at the bottom it says..

However from a practical point of view, there is nothing forcing the agency to put you forward for a position. Therefore if you do not cooperate with their internal policies, then they may simply 'forget you' in favour of another contractor who is more agreeable.

So technically yes, you've won an utter pointless argument with truly awful advice. I salute you sir.

[billybiro]

Are you sure about that. I can see why you think it being a B2B contract but there are other pieces of legislation which get in the way of that.....

WALOB. Have you ever worked in the banking sector? I doubt it because you'd struggle to get through the front door without very extensive vetting.....

Not true.

I'm not saying that agents/client demands to see your personal details doesn't happen, I'm saying that they have no legal right to demand this of you, despite what they may say or think.

Naturally, gigs requiring security clearance are something else entirely, however, I'm specifically talking about demands to see your passport for such things as verifying you're British and so have the right to work in the UK.

Neither the agent nor client (especially the client as there's no direct relationship between you and/or your Ltd. and the client co.) has the right to see your personal details any more than you have the right to waltz into the client CEO's office and demand to see his passport/bank statement etc.

Ahem. Contractors' Questions: Is an agent entitled to my passport?

If, on the other hand, you are operating under a limited company then there is no need for the agent to see these documents. Their contract will be with your limited company not you personally. Theoretically they may wish to see a copy of some photographic ID to verify that you have the authority to sign on behalf of your company but even then you do not have to provide this.