Recruiter Insisting On Using Own Umbrella Company.

[Delectable]

Hi all,

I had an interview on Tuesday, was offered and accepted but the agent then informed me that I can only be paid by one of two umbrella companies JSA and Big Fish. I told him I'd used Reliasys and Numbermill without problems recently. He refused and insists that they won't inform the client of my acceptance if I don't agree to use one of the two.

I did some reading and found that this is somewhat illegal and I've asked them whether they'll benefit commercially or otherwise if I used any of their two umbrellas.

It feels wrong that I won't get this job because of the umbrella payment issue. What can I do?

Thanks.

[malvolio]

Hi all,

I had an interview on Tuesday, was offered and accepted but the agent then informed me that I can only be paid by one of two umbrella companies JSA and Big Fish. I told him I'd used Reliasys and Numbermill without problems recently. He refused and insists that they won't inform the client of my acceptance if I don't agree to use one of the two.

I did some reading and found that this is somewhat illegal and I've asked them whether they'll benefit commercially or otherwise if I used any of their two umbrellas.

It feels wrong that I won't get this job because of the umbrella payment issue. What can I do?

Thanks.

Talk to the client? "Would love to join but your agent is making it impossible to do so."

[eek]

Talk to the client? "Would love to join but your agent is making it impossible to do so."

Not going to work - as the agency will just say it’s not worth the risk.

[ladymuck]

It's not illegal for a company to have a preferred supplier list, which is what they're enforcing here. The way they're going about it is pretty nasty though.

If you want to take the gig, you should do due diligence on both and pick the one that is the least worst. If you can afford to walk away, that's your only other option sadly.

[cojak]

Looking at the company accounts I would go with JSA I you want to accept the contract. Big Fish only has £1 on their accounts sheet until they put in their accounts at the end of the month.

[eek]

I would go the opposite way - Big Fish use Octopaye which I would trust rather than than JSA's internal systems - one of the multiple checks I have is how is payroll run and if it's a 3rd party supplier I would trust it way more than any internal system.

end of the day - I would pick the firm that:

1) uses a third party software package that is used by multiple firms (JustAccounts, Octopaye, Flexr, can't remember the others offhand)
2) pays holiday pay in advance as the agency pays the umbrella
3) does your pension how you want
4) the one you like more on the phone.

[ladymuck]

eek's point about holiday pay is a good one - too many people have lost money because they didn't understand the umbrella's rules about that.

[cojak]

I would go the opposite way - Big Fish use Octopaye which I would trust rather than than JSA's internal systems - one of the multiple checks I have is how is payroll run and if it's a 3rd party supplier I would trust it way more than any internal system.

end of the day - I would pick the firm that:

1) pays holiday pay in advance as the agency pays the umbrella
2) does your pension how you want
3) the one you like more on the phone.

Maybe, but I wouldn’t trust any company with only £1 on their balance sheet.

[eek]

Maybe, but I wouldn’t trust any company with only £1 on their balance sheet.

Everyone has to start somewhere..

and remember what my new day job is…

oh and the new FCSA chair (don’t think he’s announced yet) wasn’t happy when he discovered I’m still around to pull him up on things

[lucyclarityumbrella]

Glad to see you make an impression