Reply to: Well known agency causing probs.

[northernladuk]

Am sorry to be blunt but you really need this thread to die. From what I can see here no one has acted professionally here and everyone is should be shouldering some blame and no one is in a position to start calling the other one names. I could quote details from this thread alone to prove it but that will look more like a personal attack so I won't.

Personally I would have been pretty embarrassed, kept the request fairly simple without try to justify myself and when I got an answer actioned it as suggested and left at that. You haven't done yourself any favours dragging this one out.

Keep on at your brolly/agent in a professional manner, put it all down to experience and move on.

[PinkPoshRat]

Many agents will try and pull the wool over your eyes until you tell/show them clearly that the tulip they are pulling won't work.

It's best if you start it from the beginning if they try and play around with the opt-in/opt-out stuff.

I followed all your previous advice and warnings from the very start of all my dealings with this agency, and despite my best efforts, they are still (note the tense) trying it on. Bunch of scum they are.

[SueEllen]

I would never expect all of the above to apply to a well known agency, and that's my point. I would have thought that any agent who is trying it on with me would reach a certain point and start to wonder whether or not they can get away with pulling the wool over my eyes anymore. Seems not with this lot, and that's why I'm so

I agree with you that from my list one should expect some of those things from time to time. To be fair though, not every agency behaves as badly as this one.

Many agents will try and pull the wool over your eyes until you tell/show them clearly that the tulip they are pulling won't work.

It's best if you start it from the beginning if they try and play around with the opt-in/opt-out stuff.

[PinkPoshRat]

Y

They tell big fat lies - You should know this.
They automatically send out 'OPT OUT' contracts - You should expect this.
They are always on client's side - You should know this.
They do not pay on time (if at all) - You should expect this.
They send out umpteen duff contracts out until they finally get it right - You should expect this.
They will try to get contractors to use a brolly on their PSL, but when really pushed will back down and allow any brolly. - You should expect this
They have been in deep poo with this client as their margin's are way too high - That is not your problem.

All the lessons above from what I can see are pretty standard stuff and you should expect/know/prepare for all of them everytime surely?

Again not trying to be harsh but you could add the following to this list

Check you contract a bit more carefully
Understand the level and scope of your role fully

I would never expect all of the above to apply to a well known agency, and that's my point. I would have thought that any agent who is trying it on with me would reach a certain point and start to wonder whether or not they can get away with pulling the wool over my eyes anymore. Seems not with this lot, and that's why I'm so

I agree with you that from my list one should expect some of those things from time to time. To be fair though, not every agency behaves as badly as this one.

[PinkPoshRat]

No digging done!

I was under no illusion that this was going to be a very junior role. My only reason for accepting the role was that I needed some extra money. I already had another gig lined up, so I only took this as it was on my doorstep, and I was told by agency it would only be for 4 weeks.
The agency didn't want to tell the client that I was only going to be there for 4 weeks - they tried sending me a duff contract with an end date well over my 4 week availability, and this duff contract also contained a notice period of a month for me, and a week for them!

The client did only want a PA, but because she wasn't allowed to hire a PA (her role [the client]was deemed as being one which does not require a PA hence it being advertised as a PM) but even as a PA, the way I was treated was appalling and I have no regrets in slamming the phone down on the client when she was being extremely unreasonably angry. Despite me efforts after the event to try an 'appologise' she simply phoned the agency and told them to find a replacement for me. I did my work well, I made no mistakes and I did everything that was asked of me. I just wasn't prepared to become the easy target for a bully of a boss.

It's the agency who are really being unprofessional now. Their latest excuse for nonpayment is that they need to get the client to approve my timesheets. I'M OPTED IN FFS

[northernladuk]

You were paid 166 a day for a PM?

EDIT : Dam beaten to it.. anyway.. to add...

They tell big fat lies - You should know this.
They automatically send out 'OPT OUT' contracts - You should expect this.
They are always on client's side - You should know this.
They do not pay on time (if at all) - You should expect this.
They send out umpteen duff contracts out until they finally get it right - You should expect this.
They will try to get contractors to use a brolly on their PSL, but when really pushed will back down and allow any brolly. - You should expect this
They have been in deep poo with this client as their margin's are way too high - That is not your problem.

All the lessons above from what I can see are pretty standard stuff and you should expect/know/prepare for all of them everytime surely?

Again not trying to be harsh but you could add the following to this list

Check you contract a bit more carefully
Understand the level and scope of your role fully

[Normie]

I was supposed to be a PM, but was being treated like the bosses PA.

The mistake as far as the rate in concerned is that it wrongly states my rate is £166 per hour. It should be per day.

I'm not having a dig here, honestly, but do you think that at that rate, the client was expecting more of a PA than a PM?

[PinkPoshRat]

Lessons learned so far regarding this agency:

They tell big fat lies
They automatically send out 'OPT OUT' contracts
They are always on client's side
They do not pay on time (if at all)
They send out umpteen duff contracts out until they finally get it right
They will try to get contractors to use a brolly on their PSL, but when really pushed will back down and allow any brolly.
They have been in deep poo with this client as their margin's are way too high

I'm flippin chuffed that I have another contract starting in a few days with a decent bunch. As my inclination is to never ever trust any of the big named brands again.

[Wanderer]

they have now kicked me off site with no explanation other than quoting a clause in the contract that says they can

If it's within the terms of the contract then just go. That's the way contracting works and they are within their rights to do it. Don't take it personally, move along to the next job and write this one off to experience.

They are now not paying me for the days I worked. I'm through an umbrella (and not the umbrella off the agency PSL list! & I eventually managed to get them to write an OPT IN contract)

They should always pay you for the work done, unless they have a legitimate dispute in which case you would negotiate with them. Since you didn't opt out, you should even be paid if the client refuses to sign timesheets for those days.

[codingmonkey71]

Similar issue

I've had a contractor via the same agency (elan) - for Thales. I had a similar issue re day rate and hourly rate. They stated I was on an hourly rate of £400 per hour, and got them to agree their mistake..and they put me on immediate payment terms as a result. I think they were really bricking it - re paying me £400 per hour !! In hindsight, I wish I had pushed it more...as I had worked 3 weeks by the time I noticed!!

[Pondlife]

The agency have said they will pay, but haven't. My brolly say they've sent emails to agency, and if they don;t hear from agency by 10am tomorrow, they will pick up the phone and call them.

The mistake as far as the rate in concerned is that it wrongly states my rate is £166 per hour. It should be per day.


To add insult to injury, on the day I was told to leave I received a text message from the agency. Text was addressed to another person & was asking them to get in touch as they had an urgent contract with the same client - I got that text BEFORE I was called and told to push off. SHame I never saw that text until I got home that day, otherwise I would have given the agency a real telling off.

Do you physically have a signed copy of this contract? If so, tell them you will invoice the for the amount at that hourly rate if they don't pay what you're expecting sharpish. The minion who signed it must be bricking themselves right now, probably hence all the fuss.

[PinkPoshRat]

Hi PPR,

Just read your PM but will answer here as the details are posted here already.

You are opted in and therefore you have to prove you turned up when you say you did to the agency. This is not the same as getting your work approved by the client. If you turned up, the agency must pay you for those hours at the agreed contracted rate.

You (well the brolly) have a contract with the agency.
1) Do you have a physical signed copy?
2) Do you have any evidence you were on site... emails, meeting notes etc etc

If so talk to the brollies legal bods. Failing that, a solicitor from one of the names you've seen on the board here. Or if you're not comfortable with this, then citizens advice.

You say you made a mistake with the rate... Does the contract state £x per hour and you thought it was £x per day? If so, (sorry for this) could it be that your expectations of what was required were based on, for example £200 per day and the client was expecting some management consultant at £1600 per day and hence is arguing you were not up to the job?

OR did Elan send you a signed contract with £x per hour as a mistake?

The agency have said they will pay, but haven't. My brolly say they've sent emails to agency, and if they don;t hear from agency by 10am tomorrow, they will pick up the phone and call them.

The mistake as far as the rate in concerned is that it wrongly states my rate is £166 per hour. It should be per day.


To add insult to injury, on the day I was told to leave I received a text message from the agency. Text was addressed to another person & was asking them to get in touch as they had an urgent contract with the same client - I got that text BEFORE I was called and told to push off. SHame I never saw that text until I got home that day, otherwise I would have given the agency a real telling off.

[Pondlife]

Hi PPR,

Just read your PM but will answer here as the details are posted here already.

You are opted in and therefore you have to prove you turned up when you say you did to the agency. This is not the same as getting your work approved by the client. If you turned up, the agency must pay you for those hours at the agreed contracted rate.

You (well the brolly) have a contract with the agency.
1) Do you have a physical signed copy?
2) Do you have any evidence you were on site... emails, meeting notes etc etc

If so talk to the brollies legal bods. Failing that, a solicitor from one of the names you've seen on the board here. Or if you're not comfortable with this, then citizens advice.

You say you made a mistake with the rate... Does the contract state £x per hour and you thought it was £x per day? If so, (sorry for this) could it be that your expectations of what was required were based on, for example £200 per day and the client was expecting some management consultant at £1600 per day and hence is arguing you were not up to the job?

OR did Elan send you a signed contract with £x per hour as a mistake?

[PinkPoshRat]

You have a fine memory sir! No, it's not the same one. This is with a very well know agency, Ealn.

[northernladuk]

I know, I know. I PMed my answer to pondlife. I don't want to be the butt of everyone's jokes. Ah too late now...

The contract is between brolly and agency. My mis-understanding was that by opting IN, the pay when paid clause takes affect.

and by not reading your contract carefully enough to let a mistake in your money get past....

Out of interest is this the same gig you got while dealing with the Agent A and Agent B thing you had awhile ago? The one where the agent got you a gig but you thought he was pulling a fast one?