Reply to: Parasol & lunch & travel costs

[lilfreckles]

James you are truly getting boring now with all this...all you need to do is UNDERSTAND THE WHOLE PROCESS, without trying to look smart.

You will be an employe for the umbrella company!!

[spiderlover]

>>T&Cs

I wish! Haven't any. I am sitting here working without any form of contract.


If I, as an employee, were to have a grievance procedure it would be against my employer. Parasol.

Parasol have a contract to supply services to the City Company where I am working.

The only grievance procedure could be Me v Parasol. Why would they be representing me against themselves?

I think you get to see the T&C as you start the online registration.

What I mean is if you have a grievance against the end client - they would represent you as you are on a contract of services once you are employed by the umbrella. If you have a grievance against Parasol, their HR department would follow normal grievance procedure and you would have legal protection under HR legislation.

I think that's what I mean anyway!

[james14]

>>T&Cs

I wish! Haven't any. I am sitting here working without any form of contract.


If I, as an employee, were to have a grievance procedure it would be against my employer. Parasol.

Parasol have a contract to supply services to the City Company where I am working.

The only grievance procedure could be Me v Parasol. Why would they be representing me against themselves?

[spiderlover]

>>I'm sure that an agency wouldn't want to reresent you if you had a disciplinary, grievance or tribunal issue to fight.

But my employment contract (if I had one) would be with the umbrella... so why would they represent me? Or am I missing something?

God you really don't get this do you?

Parasol would be your employer!!!!! Of course they would represent you as they will EMPLOY you.....

Perhaps you should look at the T&Cs they give you...

[james14]

>>I'm sure that an agency wouldn't want to reresent you if you had a disciplinary, grievance or tribunal issue to fight.

But my employment contract (if I had one) would be with the umbrella... so why would they represent me? Or am I missing something?

[spiderlover]

Maybe, but I don't need an umbrella. My recruitment consultant should outsource their payroll.

Why should they? If they did, they would have to increase their fees and take on additional uncessary liabilities.

Don't forget though, there are additional advantages of being with an umbrella, not least of which is that they provide all your insurances and take over the HR burden. I'm sure that an agency wouldn't want to reresent you if you had a disciplinary, grievance or tribunal issue to fight.

I was a recruiter for two years (after being a financial aviser for 11 years) and I certainly wouldn't want the extra burden.

Seems like the perfect solution for your situation....

[lilfreckles]

Sometimes the situation in regards to claiming expenses can be a bit to difficult to understand...but surely it cant be that hard!!! I

You truly are contracting for the first time!!

[james14]

Maybe, but I don't need an umbrella. My recruitment consultant should outsource their payroll.

[spiderlover]

I have recently joined Parasol after doing rafts of research, both here and from other sources and I really think that James is missing the point...he's got to get paid somehow and whichever umbrella he chooses to use is going to tell him the same thing about dispensations etc.

I think sometimes you can be over-analytical

Anyway, it's only for a month, just get on with it!

[Damo1176]

Fear so. Caillebotte v Quinn scotched that one. http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/bimmanual/BIM37920.htm

Hats off good spot. THat means that in general umbrellas cannot let you claim subsistence at a daily rate with receipts or not in general. They shoud then be forced to say that you can only claim if you are forced to eat as part of your job lol

[james14]

No holidays, No benefits (No pension, No Paid Bank Holidays, No Staff Discounts, No Childcare Vouchers, No Bonus, No Car Allowance, etc), No notice period...

I would disagree that a rate which matches a permenant employee's rate is fair. but if you are happy with it it's all that matters.

I get all of the above! Holidays, pension (fwiw), staff discounts, car allowance, London waiting.

And notice period.

[james14]

I would also argue that if you were at home food would be much cheaper to source than on a company site so you should get relief on that hence receipted subsistence but I guess under the spotlight of IR I'd get shot down in flames.

Fear so. Caillebotte v Quinn scotched that one. http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/bimmanual/BIM37920.htm

[Ardesco]

BTW My daily (pro-rata annual) rate is the same as for a permanent employee, which is perfectly fair. The mix up is that my recruitment agent haven't realised that they need to gross up the amount that is given to Parasol by the £60 monthly fee and the Employers NI.

No holidays, No benefits (No pension, No Paid Bank Holidays, No Staff Discounts, No Childcare Vouchers, No Bonus, No Car Allowance, etc), No notice period...

I would disagree that a rate which matches a permenant employee's rate is fair. but if you are happy with it it's all that matters.

[Spacecadet]

BTW My daily (pro-rata annual) rate is the same as for a permanent employee, which is perfectly fair.

Its not perfectly fair, you're incurring extra expense and hassle sorting all this sh*t out and you're not even permanent!

have you ever in your permie past had to spend all this time talking to HR about your payment methods?

[james14]

I have just spent ten minutes on the phone to Parasol - having been rung by a senior manager, or some such who was quite convincing.

They tell me their offices are in Warrington which is where my contract of employment is, so where my fixed site is... As I am in London, I am working away from the fixed site.

He read out to me an extract from the dispensation letter provided by HMRC and he read out an extract permitting a £5 subsistence daily allowance.

Hence travel costs also being permitted as a deduction.

He confirmed that from next month it would all change and I would no longer be able to claim travel and subsistence. I don't know if I believe him.



BTW My daily (pro-rata annual) rate is the same as for a permanent employee, which is perfectly fair. The mix up is that my recruitment agent haven't realised that they need to gross up the amount that is given to Parasol by the £60 monthly fee and the Employers NI.