Reply to: Walked out of a contract 1 wage witheld

[SueEllen]

The OP may have handled his situation a bit better than he did, but I'm not so sure his actions were all that bad. Sure, shouting about AIDS straight off the bat probably isn't too good, but others here have suggested that OP should have helped the guy with the cut finger. Now, whilst that's certainly a "good citizen" thing to do, in today's litigious society, I'd be very wary of getting involved. That same guy's cut finger could escalate to a major infection causing him to miss out on significant chunks of work (and thus probably pay). Wouldn't be much fun to be in OP's shoes when he decides to sue OP for "interfering", insinuating OP's actions have caused his current predicament.

Oddly enough I had to investigate this for some reason before the law changed and the answer is still the same.

In short if you did manage find a lawyer who will allow you to sue a good Samaritan in England and Wales, the judge will chuck the case out. Since last year there was a bill that protects good Samaritans in first aid situations before the no-one tried.

[NotAllThere]

Erm.. Front page. First paragraph.

Welcome to Contractor UK
Contractor UK is home to the UK's IT contracting community

Yeah, but we do like having engineers and the like around - adds a bit of colour and adventure to our sad lonely lives.

For the OP. The question of withholding payment has been asked many times - please search this site for information. However, if you were really a wage slave, then you should have a little chat with an employment lawyer or the CAB.

[quackhandle]

What's a wage? Does it come in a small little brown envelope?

Do you have a punched card that you put into a little machine with a clock when you start?

And the same when you leave? Its there a hooter signalling the end of the working day?

Do you have a Mavis who works in the canteen and always moans about her gammy leg?

Then, my friend you need forums.factoryworkersuk.com

Good luck.

qh

[billybiro]

Since I've worked for large and medium firms who have been prosecuted for breaches of health and safety of course I'm aware of it. In one case someone died in a plant but as I was based on a different site with a different senior manager there wasn't anything we could do about it.

Also most companies pay visual lip service to H&S so they have a first aid box, fire extinguishers and fire blankets.

Anyway the OP shows he's immature by screaming "AIDS" when someone cut themselves then running away, and then moaning about swearing.

That's a fine anecdote, so I'll add one of my own.

I've also worked for large and medium firms, and also some small ones. You're right that they often pay lip service to H&S, however, that's not really the same thing now, is it? Many a time I've had occasion to peer inside a firm's first aid box that's hanging on the wall, only to find it's lacking even the most basic first aid items or indeed is even entirely empty! And those same firms have fire extinguishers that have a failed last inspection about 3 years out of date. No one died in any of these firms, but many people sustained an injury which they had to attend to themselves (I know of one guy who had to drive himself to the hospital with a broken arm, for example). And they got docked pay for the time spent out of work. And they never reported it (their H&S log book was surprisingly empty) as they knew that "making an issue out of it" would mean having no job only a matter of days later.

The OP may have handled his situation a bit better than he did, but I'm not so sure his actions were all that bad. Sure, shouting about AIDS straight off the bat probably isn't too good, but others here have suggested that OP should have helped the guy with the cut finger. Now, whilst that's certainly a "good citizen" thing to do, in today's litigious society, I'd be very wary of getting involved. That same guy's cut finger could escalate to a major infection causing him to miss out on significant chunks of work (and thus probably pay). Wouldn't be much fun to be in OP's shoes when he decides to sue OP for "interfering", insinuating OP's actions have caused his current predicament.

[SueEllen]

And, of course, it's completely impossible for any company (especially some tinpot firm) to be entirely in breach of health & safety now, isn't it? </sarcasm>

Of course, company owners and managers do not want to be charged with such, however, like many things, this is only a problem when (and indeed, if) they ever get caught. And also bear in mind that in some places there's a culture of fear such that people don't report health & safety transgressions for fear of not having a job to return to, and that such a culture is actively cultivated from those at the very top.

Since I've worked for large and medium firms who have been prosecuted for breaches of health and safety of course I'm aware of it. In one case someone died in a plant but as I was based on a different site with a different senior manager there wasn't anything we could do about it.

Also most companies pay visual lip service to H&S so they have a first aid box, fire extinguishers and fire blankets.

Anyway the OP shows he's immature by screaming "AIDS" when someone cut themselves then running away, and then moaning about swearing.

[billybiro]

All medium and large workplaces have a first aid box and a couple of people designated as first aiders and fire marshals to comply with health and safety regulations. No company owners and managers want to be charged with anything up to corporate manslaughter.

And, of course, it's completely impossible for any company (especially some tinpot firm) to be entirely in breach of health & safety now, isn't it? </sarcasm>

Of course, company owners and managers do not want to be charged with such, however, like many things, this is only a problem when (and indeed, if) they ever get caught. And also bear in mind that in some places there's a culture of fear such that people don't report health & safety transgressions for fear of not having a job to return to, and that such a culture is actively cultivated from those at the very top.

[LondonManc]

Erm.. Front page. First paragraph.

Welcome to Contractor UK
Contractor UK is home to the UK's IT contracting community

Sorry. I'll revise my behaviour.

OP, ask your lawyer.

[northernladuk]

It's still a site for all contractors, it's just that IT contractors tend to be sat at a computer more than others.

Erm.. Front page. First paragraph.

Welcome to Contractor UK
Contractor UK is home to the UK's IT contracting community

[LondonManc]

OP, check your contract - you'll know how you truly left the site and gave notice and you'll need to compare that to how you should have given notice. If there's a difference, it's better to let the week go - the counterclaim for loss of revenue could leave you far more out of pocket than a week's revenue from this contract.

Can you as a starting point sort out your grammar so that your post is more readable ?
And is your post relevant to what is primarily an IT contractor forum site ?

It's still a site for all contractors, it's just that IT contractors tend to be sat at a computer more than others.

[kaiser78]

Can you as a starting point sort out your grammar so that your post is more readable ?
And is your post relevant to what is primarily an IT contractor forum site ?

[SueEllen]

First aid ? don't think they had a first aid, he was the manager surely he would have the sense to stop and say hang on a minute let me just get this sorted or get a plaster, but instead carried on wrapping parts while bleeding all over them.

the whole warehouse in disarray all swearing at each other, he's this he's that, that guy's this.

yes i will admit it was unprofessional to end like that and is the first time i've ever done it.

In some workplaces people swear a lot - get over it.

All medium and large workplaces have a first aid box and a couple of people designated as first aiders and fire marshals to comply with health and safety regulations. No company owners and managers want to be charged with anything up to corporate manslaughter.

Anyway it's common decency to say to someone as an adult "Oh look you are bleeding. Let me get you a plaster." Then fook off immediately to find them one before they can stop you.

[pippin123]

First aid ? don't think they had a first aid, he was the manager surely he would have the sense to stop and say hang on a minute let me just get this sorted or get a plaster, but instead carried on wrapping parts while bleeding all over them.

the whole warehouse in disarray all swearing at each other, he's this he's that, that guy's this.

yes i will admit it was unprofessional to end like that and is the first time i've ever done it.

[northernladuk]

Bearing in mind he's hard enough to not be bothered by a cut that appears to bleeding profusely I'm surprised he didn't punch you in the face for suggesting he had HIV.

[SueEllen]

You handed the situation completely incorrectly and immaturely.

If some has an accident in a work place you make them stop what they are doing the either deal with it yourself, call a first aider or call an ambulance - you don't walk off-site and never come back.

As LadyMuck stated as you didn't get your timesheet signed then you have to wait.

[ladymuck]

If the contract says payment on receipt of signed timesheet, then you will need that to get your last week's pay.