Reply to: New umbrella company required!

[TykeMerc]

No. He responded to a spammer saying they had been reported. Mods removed the spammer and then removed the spammers name from tykes post. Nothing untoward I am afraid.

Actually I edited it out as no longer needed. Mods had scraped the spammers scum off the threads so the name was irrelevant.

[northernladuk]

Hacked? Or is TM a sockie??

.....

[SlipTheJab]

Hacked? Or is TM a sockie??

Or both

[TheFaQQer]

...

Last edited by TykeMerc; Today at 14:10. Reason: Spammer posts removed by mods.

Hacked? Or is TM a sockie??

[TykeMerc]

...

[lucyclarityumbrella]

After reading this thread I've just noticed CrystalUmbrella are also making deductions as part of 'additional required contributions' which consist of employers NI and 'statutory benefits'. If you don't ever receive any statutory benefits from them, how can they legally justify keeping this money they have deducted? They are refusing to refund anything.

elouise as the umbrella company is your "employer" they are not allowed to make deductions to cover standard statutory rights such as sick pay, or maternity / paternity pay. This is something they must cover... if the deductions are being made and you are employed under a contract of employment (COE) then this could be perceived as unlawful deduction of earnings. You will need to look closely at their explanations and make sure you check your COE.

[elouise]

deductions / statutory benefits / Crystal Umbrella

Hi all, just wondering if anybody went down the tribunal / legal route in the end or managed to claim anything back on unlawful deductions?

After reading this thread I've just noticed CrystalUmbrella are also making deductions as part of 'additional required contributions' which consist of employers NI and 'statutory benefits'. If you don't ever receive any statutory benefits from them, how can they legally justify keeping this money they have deducted? They are refusing to refund anything.

I'd definitely avoid Crystal Umbrella as have had no end of issues in 4 years - including pension payment errors and most recently 'system errors' meaning very late pay, no payslips, and subsequently messed up tax. This week I was even copied into invoices about another contractor showing all their day rates. Complete mess of a company.

[LisaContractorUmbrella]

It is illegal from a European perspective to roll up holiday pay but so far as I am aware no legislation in the UK which outlaws the practice. This is why several umbrella providers still use the method.

It is contained within the EC Working Time Directives which apply to UK employers

[bass1999]

Rolled Up Holiday Pay

We deduct and pay back as rolled up holiday pay is not allowed Taking your holiday : Directgov - Employment.

It is illegal from a European perspective to roll up holiday pay but so far as I am aware no legislation in the UK which outlaws the practice. This is why several umbrella providers still use the method.

[Feud]

Parasol

Hi all...

I have just left Parasol due to this also... I am wondering my best steps for getting these "employment Costs" back as I have had no time off sick, no holidays, and cannot get preganant as I'm a man... therefore I see this as them holding money of mine that is unused... am I correct?

What is my best step next to try and reclaim this, anyone know a good legal person to chat to and see my position... I am up for the fight <mod snip - let's keep it civil please>

Cheers - Spog

How did you get on Spog? I'm in the same boat.

[The Spartan]

I submitted my resignation in the early part of this month so why it is taking so long to send out my P45 I'll never know. So I emailed them and they said it will be generated on the 30th does it really take that long

[Spog09]

Well I'm due my P45 from them next week so we'll see if they refund what extra they've taken, if not I think I might try that route.

I am waiting for mine too, I think I will start with an email to the head of ES stating my intentiions if they dont refund it and see from there.... however as yet they still havent replied to my emails asking for his details !!!

[The Spartan]

Well I'm due my P45 from them next week so we'll see if they refund what extra they've taken, if not I think I might try that route.

[Wary]

Hi all...

I have just left Parasol due to this also... I am wondering my best steps for getting these "employment Costs" back as I have had no time off sick, no holidays, and cannot get preganant as I'm a man... therefore I see this as them holding money of mine that is unused... am I correct?

What is my best step next to try and reclaim this, anyone know a good legal person to chat to and see my position... I am up for the fight <mod snip - let's keep it civil please>

Cheers - Spog

That's the spirit!

Maybe an employment tribunal - see:
Employment Tribunals: an introduction : Directgov - Employment

It costs nothing and you can claim on the grounds of 'unlawful deductions from wages'. If they're levying these additional charges due to increased overheads of the new employment laws, that's potentially unlawful as they shouldn't be passing these costs to their employees. Then there's the fairness of the way they passing it on - i.e. an arbitrary 13.8% of your expenses ... not to mention the lack of transparency as they've haven't exactly gone out of their way to make their employees aware of the fact that extra money is being deducted.

Note that you must make an application within three months of the date that "the matter you are complaining about happened".

It costs nothing to file a claim and you may find that Parasol are all-too-willing to settle at that point.

[fred857]

If you ask me, Parasol have breached the terms of the umbrella supplier/client relationship I have with them.

Below is a link to a copy of the fees page from their welcome pack which they sent me when I rejoined them in 2009 after a couple of months break. Clearly they state "no hidden fees" which they helpfully highlighted in bold. These are the terms and costs I signed-up when I joined them. I have not consented to any other increases, however they choose to masquerade it.

Imagebin - http://imagebin.org/195543