Julia is a TEDx speaker, podcaster, and campaigner with a passion for the rights of all independent workers. Like many people, the pandemic made Julia re-evaluate her purpose, and she founded IWORK to support and champion the UK’s army of temps, agency workers, gig economy workers, contractors and the self-employed.
Before setting up IWORK Julia single-handedly grew FCSA, a compliance standard for accountants and umbrellas, from an unheard-of niche organisation to becoming ubiquitous within the recruitment supply chain. Here she led unprecedented growth, successfully raising the profile of FCSA and it’s influence within the government, recruitment sector and amongst employers.
During covid it became apparent that many people were losing their jobs and needed to work differently, and were turning to self-employment, temping, side hustles or other forms of contingent work. This meant a new crop of people vulnerable to exploitation simply due to their lack of knowledge. Julia couldn’t simply stand by and watch this unfold, so in July 2020 she launched IWORK and her mission to empower all independent workers so they get the fair deal they deserve.
Julia is a well known authority in the contracting sector, having been an expert panellist on TV and radio programmes, commentator on relevant news stories, and has many articles published in national and trade press. She has an in-depth understanding of the many complex issues affecting independent workers, which coupled with her belief in justice and equality make her a force to be reckoned with! Julia’s common sense approach, balance and fairness mean that she is often called on to contribute to government policy development, including as an expert witness at various House of Lords inquiries over the years.
More recently, Julia has become increasingly frustrated with the continued scourge of dubious practices within the umbrella sector, exploiting workers yet no-one is doing anything about it! Wrongdoings have been exposed at seeming ‘compliant’ umbrellas which hold external accreditations, yet disappointingly these umbrellas are not being properly challenged. Clearly action is needed to ensure workers are protected.
This led to Julia taking on the role of CEO at PayePass in May 2023. By forensically scrutinising everything relating to worker payments PayePass protects the supply chain from the financial risks of tax avoidance, tax evasion, mini-umbrella company fraud, payroll skimming, and holiday pay misconduct.
Julia says “it seems that misconduct is on the increase and that it’s going unchallenged. I have been waiting for others to flex their muscles and take action, but nothing seems to be happening. I can’t continue to sit back and watch an industry I love being increasingly vilified and untrusted. That’s why I am taking matters into my own hands to raise standards and clean up the sector once and for all!”
Julia is an accomplished business leader having landed her first CEO role aged just 31. She has experienced many ups and downs in her career including: the shock of starting a CEO role at an organisation with no financial viability; a dream job that was actually anything but; and transforming a business from obscurity to ubiquity. Advocacy and fighting for the underdog have been common themes throughout Julia’s career as she cares about ensuring fairness for everyone.
The Chancellor has delivered his Autumn Statement, which, despite all the rhetoric and propaganda, was largely a damp squib for contractors, temps and self-employed people. Here we explain why. Self-employed A big headline was the abolition of class 2 NICs
In a bitter blow for gig economy workers, the Supreme Court has ruled that riders for Deliveroo do not have an employment relationship with the food giant, and therefore the riders cannot be represented by a trade union. The case
A BBC investigation has discovered child labour working for food delivery apps in the gig economy, yet the businesses they work for seem powerless to intervene. This is because app riders are ‘self-employed’ and they can substitute someone else to do
There has been another exposé of alleged poor practices taking place at an umbrella which has been accredited by an industry body. Our founder, Julia Kermode, has considerable experience in umbrella compliance, and as such was being repeatedly asked for
HMRC has published an update to their list of named tax avoidance schemes and promoters, with the following additions: Bluestar Financial Solutions Limited Buckingham Wealth Ltd Excala Solutions Limited Hive Umbrella Ltd PAYE Services Limited Whilst there are currently some
In response to industry demand, specialist payroll auditor launches exciting new PayePass Fortify Umbrella Accreditation. In the continued absence of government action to regulate the sector, there has been a proliferation of tax avoidance schemes in the umbrella industry. Alongside this non-compliant
Our friends over at Contractor Voice are launching group legal action against umbrella companies suspected of wrongdoing in relation to paying contractors their earnings. The campaign group has a history of exposing dubious practices within the umbrella sector, including withholding
IMPORTANT development that should stop umbrellas and agencies stealing your holiday pay! The government has issued it’s response to the recent consultation on holiday pay and confirms that rolled up holiday pay will be officially allowed from next year. This
Manchester’s Mayor Andy Burnham plans to address road safety issues for gig workers who deliver food for the major online apps in the city. Speaking on a BBC Radio Manchester phone-in, Burnham agreed with a caller who was concerned that