Contractor Voice

We can not emphasise enough the importance of reading the contract that you are provided by your payroll company. If you have any questions, ask the umbrella or another contractor - we are also available to answer any contractor's queries. Questionable practice is hidden in the fine print of these employment contracts and, as always, the devil is in the detail! #contractors #umbrellacompanies #compliance

🚨 Industry Alert: Hidden Deductions in Question at Workwell 🚨. In recent revelations, Workwell, have come under scrutiny for hidden payslip deductions. A concerning pattern of non-transparent manoeuvres, such as retaining employer National Insurance and Apprenticeship Levy savings has been uncovered. This strategy results in significantly inflated margins (+60% as shown in our article), raising serious ethical questions 🤔 🔍 These findings not only spotlight the deceptive practices but also challenge the Freelancer & Contractor Services Association (FCSA)'s oversight capabilities. Despite previous exposures, there has been a disappointing silence and lack of action from the FCSA, which raises doubts about their commitment to enforcing fair standards across their members. Join the conversation on the need for transparency and integrity in payroll practices. How should the industry respond to these unethical practices? What steps can be taken to ensure that workers are not short-changed in their earnings? Read more about the ongoing debate and what it means for the contracting community in our latest article. [Link to article in comments]

Today the government announced its update on tackling non-compliance in the Umbrella sector.... 📣 We hope that its consultation gets published soon as today's update only talked about future introductions with no solid date stamps. The suggestion of a due diligence requirement is a promising step towards driving out "bad players" from the supply chain. "Tackling Non-Compliance in the Umbrella Companies Market The government remains concerned about the scale of non-compliance in the umbrella company market, and the detrimental impact that this has on workers, taxpayers and the labour market. Last summer, the government consulted on options to reduce tax non-compliance in the market and will publish a response to its consultation in due course. To support workers and businesses that use umbrella companies, HMRC will publish new guidance later this year, including an online pay checking tool to help umbrella company workers to check whether the correct deductions are being made from their pay. The government is minded to introduce a due diligence requirement to drive out bad actors from labour supply chains. To this end it will continue to engage with the recruitment industry and other key stakeholders on the detail of a statutory due diligence regime for businesses that use umbrella companies, and ensure it has the best understanding of the impacts that this could have on reducing non-compliance."

🌟 Ensuring NMW Compliance 🌟 Your payslip reflects more than earnings — it's a testament to your rights and value as a contractor. With the recent NMW increase from April 1st, 2024, it's crucial to ensure your payslip aligns with legal standards. The NMW rise acknowledges workers' contributions and aims to stabilize the economy. Check your payslip for: ✅ Hourly Rate: Must meet or exceed the new NMW. ✅ Tax Deductions: Ensure accuracy in PAYE tax and NI contributions. ✅ Deductions: Clear itemisation of all deductions. ✅ Additional Payments: Overtime, bonuses, commissions should adhere to NMW rate. ✅ Holiday Pay: Shouldn't lower your effective hourly rate below NMW. Earning NMW upholds dignity and ensures fair compensation. Stay informed with gov.uk guidelines, set up your Personal Tax Account, and utilize payslip audit tools. Seek advice from experts, trade unions, ACAS, or your agency. If discrepancies arise: 🚀 Address with employer/agency. 📝 Maintain detailed records. 🚨 Escalate to HMRC if needed. Stay informed and advocate for fair compensation. #NMW #Contractors #FairPay #Compliance 👇 Link to the checklist article in the comments 👇

The First Tier Tribunal has ruled that mini-umbrellas are not permitted to use the VAT Flat Rate Scheme, or claim the Employment Allowance. #Tax #Recruitment #temporarylabour

🚨 Attention Contractors! 🚨 Recently, we've uncovered yet another questionable practice that impacts contractors' earnings. We're committed to ensuring transparency and fairness in the contracting industry and will be sharing the details over the coming weeks 👀 Our team has been diligently investigating the handling of ‘Employer's Costs’ by umbrella companies, following recent revelations about misleading practices. While some companies have been making strides to improve transparency, there are still concerns about the treatment of contractors' finances. We're working tirelessly to gather additional information and expose the latest practices that may not align with industry standards and ethical practices. Stay tuned in the coming weeks as we prepare to shed light on this issue 🔍 📣 But we need your help! Have you experienced any discrepancies in your payslips regarding Employer Costs? Do you have any insights or stories to share about your interactions with umbrella companies? We want to hear from you! Engage with us by commenting below or reaching out directly. #ContractorVoice #Transparency #Fairness #ContractorRights #UmbrellaCompanies #IndustryStandards #Engagement

🚨 Attention LinkedIn Community! 🚨 We need to demand urgent attention from the Freelancer & Contractor Services Association (FCSA). Despite posting a staggering 65 times in the past 30 days, it's disheartening to note that not a single post from the FCSA addresses the engagement of contractors, particularly regarding Hybrid contracts and the issue of paying below the National Minimum Wage (NMW), by one of their members 😤 NumberMill Ltd's engagement of contractors on Hybrid contracts while paying below NMW standards is a blatant violation of worker rights and undermines the very foundation of fair labour practices. The FCSA, as the self-proclaimed Gold Standard in the freelance and contractor sector, bears a responsibility to advocate for the rights and fair treatment of workers. Yet, their silence on this matter speaks volumes. It's time for action, not empty rhetoric. We call upon the FCSA to step up and address this issue head-on. Contractors deserve better – they deserve transparency, fairness, and above all, respect for their contributions to the workforce. Let's amplify our voices and demand accountability. Share this post, tag the FCSA, and let's ensure that the voices of contractors are heard loud and clear. Together, we can drive meaningful change and put an end to contractor abuse. #ContractorRights #FairLabour #Transparency #FCSA #NumberMill #NMW #ContractorVoice

Why is the FCSA turning a blind eye? We revealed a contract from NumberMill that engages contractors through a hybrid working model, resulting in employees being paid below the national minimum wage. 🤯 A recruitment agency reached out to us after losing a contract following one of their clients raising concerns that their workers, contracted through NumberMill, were receiving less than the NMW. 👀 Promises made by NumberMill of wage compliance were proven hollow when challenged by the end hirer with evidence of underpayment. 😤 See below the email that the onboarding manager at NumberMill wrote when questioned by the agencies for information to send to the end hirer. 🔍 Yet, the absence of thorough investigations by the FCSA into the hybrid model’s use, as exposed in the contract revealed by Contractor Voice, is deeply troubling. Why is the FCSA not acting on the information that has been presented to them? Are their agency recruitment partners aware that they are not investigating the actions of one of their members? #umbrellacompany #wagecompliance #transparency #fcsa

The FCSA needs to take more action! We strongly believe that the only way that change can be brought about, to improve compliance, is with action and consequence - this is not something that we see actioned by the FCSA. We have provided inexplicable evidence of one of their members, NumberMill, engaging contractors under a hybrid model and paying below NMW. The founder of that company is also a Director of the FCSA. The industry still needs answers on why NumberMill was engaging contractors in this way and what the consequences on their membership will be.

❗ Industry Alert: More Evidence on Unfair Contracting Practices❗ At Contractor Voice, our mission is to cast light on practices that disadvantage workers. Today, we're back with hard evidence against NumberMill Ltd, an Freelancer & Contractor Services Association (FCSA) member, who promised wage compliance but fell short. 🔍 The Crux of the Issue: We've obtained an email exchange revealing that workers contracted through NumberMill were paid below the National Minimum Wage (NMW). Despite claims of compliance, the correspondence explicitly details an attempt to use a contract for services and potentially bypass wage legislation. 💼 The Ethical Standoff: An end hirer's principled stance against such practices led to a lost contract for a recruitment agency, showcasing the real-world consequences of unethical engagement of contractors. 👀 FCSA's Silence: Despite our initial exposé, the FCSA's silence and lack of investigation raise questions about oversight and impartiality, especially given NumberMill's owner's position on the FCSA board. 🚫 Crossing Lines: This isn't just about compliance; it's a matter verging on modern slavery. Failing to pay the NMW undermines basic societal protections for the most vulnerable - the email from NumberMill shows a disregard for these and an intent to circumvent them. 📣 Our Call to Action: It's time for a thorough FCSA investigation into NumberMill and similar practices across the board. We demand accountability, transparency, and a formal apology from the FCSA for initially dismissing these critical issues. Contractor Voice stands unwavering in our commitment to defending workers' rights and ensuring fair practices in the contracting world. Stay informed, stay fair. #FairContracting #WorkersRights #NationalMinimumWage #IndustryEthics #ContractorVoice #umbrellacompany 👇 👇 Link to the full article in the comments 👇 👇