Umbrella sector, FCSA or otherwise, I’m here for you!
Julia Kermode writes an open letter to the umbrella sector We have all noticed the recent increasing negative attention on the umbrella sector due to the questionable practices of some. Indeed, I have called out some companies myself because I will not stand by and watch whilst contractors are duped out of their income due […]
Can Umbrella PSLs Be Good For Workers?
Over the last few months we have posted a few criticisms in relation to recruitment agencies’ preferred supplier lists of umbrellas, which restrict a worker’s choice of umbrella. In particular we are concerned about the obscene financial incentives underpinning some PSLs, and it seems that the person most affected by the decision is the one person […]
Petition Launched Seeking To Ban Umbrella PSLs
A contractor has started an official petition to allow workers to have the right to choose their own umbrella. Here at IWORK, we’ve been banging this drum for ages now as preferred supplier lists are not usually in workers best interests, and in our opinion they don’t actually offer much real choice to the person […]
Umbrellas & Holiday Pay: Professional Passport Responds to MPs
In an interesting turn of events, Professional Passport has submitted a response to the Loan Charge & Taxpayer Fairness APPG answering the questions that they put to FCSA last month. The influential group of MPs has raised concerns due to umbrellas potentially withholding holiday pay from their contractors, particularly in the light of the recent […]
TUC Calls For Umbrellas To Be Banned
As reported in The Guardian, the TUC has reiterated it’s stance that umbrellas should be banned. Their comments are in response to the government’s recent consultation on the umbrella market, and plans for umbrellas to be regulated by the Employment Standards Inspectorate within BEIS. According to the article, the TUC is concerned that the proposals […]
Latest Umbrella Holiday Pay Rip Off: Evidence Published
Our friends over at Contractor Voice have published a body of evidence which confirms that one of the UK’s largest umbrella companies, Workwell (previously JSA Group), has deliberately withheld holiday pay from one of their umbrella contractors. In this instance, the contractor has had £2865.50 withheld and has written to JSA several times seeking for […]
Do We Really Think Contractors Can’t Decide For Themselves?
Last week I posted a few thoughts on LinkedIn in relation to my proposal to abolish umbrella preferred supplier lists (PSLs), which is just one of my recommendations to the government consultation on the umbrella market. I have many concerns about PSLs and how they operate today, and in some cases they are cartel-like in […]
Time To Get Rid Of Umbrella Preferred Supplier Lists?
In the wake of recent cyber-attacks, I was asked by a journalist last week what I would recommend to contractors who are considering changing their umbrella, so I found myself thinking about this properly for the first time in ages. Whereas previously my answer would have been to look for accreditation, it is clear to […]
Opportunity to Influence Umbrella Sector Regulation
Treasury, HMRC and BEIS have just published a Call for Evidence on Umbrellas. It forms part of their commitment to bring umbrellas into scope for labour market enforcement, and they want to hear from all stakeholders. Importantly they particularly want to hear from workers who have been engaged via an umbrella, so this is your chance […]