Reply to: Avoid Aston Carter at all costs

[SueEllen]

I am going through the notice period issue today. My contract says 4 weeks notice with Alleges group( aka TEK systems, Aston carter etc..), However they terminated my contract with only 1 week notice.

They really not mirroring the contract they have with end client and just put lengthy contract terms so you never get paid in case the end client runs out of work.

Alleges group make end client believe 1 week notice with contractor, Same time they make contractor to believe 4 week notice with end client.

my subsequently communication with Alleges group revealed that I have following clause in contract means whatever written in assignment schedule is just meaningless.

“Clause 8.2.1. by the Company by notice with immediate effect if (or, for the purpose of clause 8.2.1.(x) below only, by the same period of notice as the Company receives from the Client, less one day):
(x) for any reason the Client:
(a) terminates its corresponding agreement with the Company;”

“8.4 The Supplier acknowledges that it is intended to be a flexible resource to meet client demands which are always subject to change. Accordingly any client demand is not within the control of the Company and, in addition to all other termination rights within the Agreement, the Assignment can be terminated immediately and without notice where requested by the Client.”

I would say stay away from Alleges group if possible.

Just wanted to make other folks aware of this nasty practice.

Happy to share relevant part of the contracts as end client has also shared their contract with me to convince me that they are not at fault.

It was up to you when you got your contract reviewed to get the agent to confirm the notice period with the client. Plus you can always negotiate for less notice as there is no point being on-site when there is no work to do as you aren't an employee of the client.

[clearedforlanding]

I am going through the notice period issue today. My contract says 4 weeks notice with Alleges group( aka TEK systems, Aston carter etc..), However they terminated my contract with only 1 week notice.

They really not mirroring the contract they have with end client and just put lengthy contract terms so you never get paid in case the end client runs out of work.

Alleges group make end client believe 1 week notice with contractor, Same time they make contractor to believe 4 week notice with end client.

my subsequently communication with Alleges group revealed that I have following clause in contract means whatever written in assignment schedule is just meaningless.

“Clause 8.2.1. by the Company by notice with immediate effect if (or, for the purpose of clause 8.2.1.(x) below only, by the same period of notice as the Company receives from the Client, less one day):
(x) for any reason the Client:
(a) terminates its corresponding agreement with the Company;”

“8.4 The Supplier acknowledges that it is intended to be a flexible resource to meet client demands which are always subject to change. Accordingly any client demand is not within the control of the Company and, in addition to all other termination rights within the Agreement, the Assignment can be terminated immediately and without notice where requested by the Client.”

I would say stay away from Alleges group if possible.

Just wanted to make other folks aware of this nasty practice.

Happy to share relevant part of the contracts as end client has also shared their contract with me to convince me that they are not at fault.

To rage herw requires tenacity-

[AndrewK]

It is sad that screwing "business partners" is just business.
However leaving a contract early - isn't.

I wonder what my accountant would say?

[stek]

I am going through the notice period issue today. My contract says 4 weeks notice with Alleges group( aka TEK systems, Aston carter etc..), However they terminated my contract with only 1 week notice.

They really not mirroring the contract they have with end client and just put lengthy contract terms so you never get paid in case the end client runs out of work.

Alleges group make end client believe 1 week notice with contractor, Same time they make contractor to believe 4 week notice with end client.

my subsequently communication with Alleges group revealed that I have following clause in contract means whatever written in assignment schedule is just meaningless.

“Clause 8.2.1. by the Company by notice with immediate effect if (or, for the purpose of clause 8.2.1.(x) below only, by the same period of notice as the Company receives from the Client, less one day):
(x) for any reason the Client:
(a) terminates its corresponding agreement with the Company;”

“8.4 The Supplier acknowledges that it is intended to be a flexible resource to meet client demands which are always subject to change. Accordingly any client demand is not within the control of the Company and, in addition to all other termination rights within the Agreement, the Assignment can be terminated immediately and without notice where requested by the Client.”

I would say stay away from Alleges group if possible.

Just wanted to make other folks aware of this nasty practice.

Happy to share relevant part of the contracts as end client has also shared their contract with me to convince me that they are not at fault.

That’s business. Get a job. Sorted.

[malvolio]

"Nasty practice"? As in "We and our client will not pay people who have no work to do"?

OK.....

[Dipak]

Not honest in their Contracts..

I am going through the notice period issue today. My contract says 4 weeks notice with Alleges group( aka TEK systems, Aston carter etc..), However they terminated my contract with only 1 week notice.

They really not mirroring the contract they have with end client and just put lengthy contract terms so you never get paid in case the end client runs out of work.

Alleges group make end client believe 1 week notice with contractor, Same time they make contractor to believe 4 week notice with end client.

my subsequently communication with Alleges group revealed that I have following clause in contract means whatever written in assignment schedule is just meaningless.

“Clause 8.2.1. by the Company by notice with immediate effect if (or, for the purpose of clause 8.2.1.(x) below only, by the same period of notice as the Company receives from the Client, less one day):
(x) for any reason the Client:
(a) terminates its corresponding agreement with the Company;”

“8.4 The Supplier acknowledges that it is intended to be a flexible resource to meet client demands which are always subject to change. Accordingly any client demand is not within the control of the Company and, in addition to all other termination rights within the Agreement, the Assignment can be terminated immediately and without notice where requested by the Client.”

I would say stay away from Alleges group if possible.

Just wanted to make other folks aware of this nasty practice.

Happy to share relevant part of the contracts as end client has also shared their contract with me to convince me that they are not at fault.

[neiltingley]

Heh, I am one of at least 5 A-C contractors consulting at said energy company in Swindon, in the same team. We've not had any problems. A-C work on fixed margins there.

Said company is in the process of culling a lot of contractors and if you are hired to work on a german contract, there's all the fun and games with the worker's council.

Perhaps I am lucky with my recruiter at A-C who is excellent, but this is my 2nd contract via them and its no issues at all.

[ELContractor]

And given the way this post is written, I assume you're not a writer either....

Interesting comment. I hope you didn't get offended, but that's my experience I'm afraid.

[BolshieBastard]

And given the way this post is written, I assume you're not a writer either....

MEOW!!

[The Agents View]

. Luckily, I am not an interviewer.

Cheers,
ElContractor

And given the way this post is written, I assume you're not a writer either....

[ELContractor]

I confirm Aston Carter is to avoid.
In my experience this is what they do and the solution I always try to adopt:

Call you to know the Companies you have applied to.
I don't give any name. If they have one they tell me the name and I say if I applied already.

Call you with an excuse for Banking role whereas the only available is a gambling role.
I cut it short and don't reply back.

Send your CV across Companies without telling you anything.
Asked proof of this as I knew people inside the company.

Don't send your CV when they say they do.
Asked proof of this as I knew people inside the company.

Ask you to take IKM tests hundreds of times.
I take the test once a year and I keep giving the same all the time.

Ask you to help them find the person they are looking for.
Cut it short.

I am also concerned about the following:
1. If a Company explicitly asks the recruiters not to contact them through the website, does it mean that if they do, the Company won't consider the application?

1. Ask you to take tests for giving the solution to someone they want to help? hmm..
Still have to have some evidence on this.

IMHO it's also the Companies' fault. Sometimes they spend months in finding the "right" candidate adopting useless methods.
I would prefer that a Company takes the first 10 people they find and that's it. If a candidate is not good, it's better to lay it off after 2 months rather then spending ages and being obsessively picky in everything at the beginning. These are the distortions of a highly-competitive market. Luckily, I am not an interviewer.

Cheers,
ElContractor

[The Agents View]

And the client can tell this, how ?

Boo2

If they treat all of their agencies like that, then they find themselves at the back of the queue when it comes to getting the best people. They soon realise this when all of the people they really need are on site elsewhere (and they do generally know these things) and they've got the dregs running their projects - It's amazing how quickly the rule book disappears in this situation.

As a rule, I work on £100 per day cut being my base level (I tend to deal with people between £400 and £1500 pd) - if there's more money to factor and therefore greater risk, this increases. If you're on £1500 per day through me, then I'll be charging the client approximately £1750 - £1800.

It's quite simple - the client is paying for the work that takes place to find someone, the work that goes into building and maintaining a network of reliable individuals, the cost of running the business generally, the cost of the money side (processing, factoring, etc) and the RISK - Aston Carter are taking the P155 there a bit, but when you're negotiating to buy something, do you reveal the highest amount you'd pay for it?? Thought not.

[Boo]

Unsurprisingly though, if I am forced to work to a set margin, then I work less enthusiastically and the client gets a worse service.

And the client can tell this, how ?

Boo2

[BolshieBastard]

Not if I was happy on 350 a day and if I was not I would not be there.

I would probably think it was cheeky but I would have probably done the same in his shoes. What the agent gets is just none of my business IMHO.

Yes, in the normal course of things one would be happy with 350 a day (depending on location).

But why would you be happy on 350 a day when the agent deliberately withheld information from you meaning you could have had another 50, 100 or more a day so he could earn as much as you for doing sweet FA?

IMHO, agents should be forced to divulge how much the client has said they would pay then, contractor & agent could negotiate how much the contractor got and how much the agent got. Yes, its utopia I know.

A few years ago when we went into recessions and contractor rates went down drastically, nearly all agencies reported improved profit. Now with more contractors out of work and those working on historically lower rates, how did they manage that I wonder?

[AnonAgent]

Seriously? If the agent told you client was prepared to pay you 350 a day and didnt tell you client had given him a budget of 700 day, which allows the agent to pocket 350 a day out of you, you still wouldnt care!?

I honestly havent had that situation come up nor do I expect to. Clients know the market rate, candidates know the market rate. I did say "if the candidate was happy though". For a role that is £700/day all inclusive the candidates would be looking for a minimum of £550/day in my experience.

In that situation, good agents will take it and run. Great agents will manage it effectively. Because we know that if the client finds out we are taking a 50% cut, they will never do business with us again.

Also back on topic for the OP. Dont judge adverts by their true rate, some agencies post rates lower than the actual rate offered (to manage expectations) and some agencies post rates above that offered (to get the best candidates and close them lower). Agencies like Aston Carter (i.e. in the banking industry) will usually have a set % agreed with the client, so it would benefit them to have candidates get as much as they can.