Timesheet required for non working period

[northernladuk]

I've had to put absence on a time sheet before. Their system won't allow zero hours so no other option so can't be an IR35 issue.

Technical limitations of a clients or agents system aren't a reflection on working practices so its fine.

[kaiser78]

you have limited choices.

1) Refuse and risk them delaying payment or worse. They may just capitulate but it's a risk.
2) Comply as it's just a form filling exercise that doesn't IMO imply employee status.
3) Ask them to change 'Absence' to 'Unavailable', but then be prepared to do 1, followed by 2 anyway.

Option 2) and move on. You are unlikely to be caught out for IR35 by filling in Absent in a timesheet.

[Lance]

you have limited choices.

1) Refuse and risk them delaying payment or worse. They may just capitulate but it's a risk.
2) Comply as it's just a form filling exercise that doesn't IMO imply employee status.
3) Ask them to change 'Absence' to 'Unavailable', but then be prepared to do 1, followed by 2 anyway.

[adubya]

Current agency wanted non-billed days recorded on timesheets over the Christmas period.

[AvsFan]

I have a request from the Agency I am currently contracted with that they require a timesheet for a period during which I didn't work. I've never been asked this before with an Agency and for periods that I didn't work I never submitted a timesheet as no work, no Invoice required so no timesheet need be submitted.

Not necessarily a huge issue but the Agency is indicating that they don't want a timesheet submitted with blank days. Instead they want a value of 1 day put in the Absence box. I'm not entirely comfortable with this (hence the post) as Absence has potential indications of employee status in my mind.
I get paid monthly and for the months in which I didn't work some of this time, I've already been paid so I'm not entirely sure why they still want this information.

Others do similar in that provide timesheets even when don't work ? Should putting Absence raise the old IR35 question ? Just ignore it as they can't do anything anyway as I've already been paid for that monthly period where I didn't work for some time ?, or just do as they request as it's not an issue ?

Interested to hear others experiences around this.