Agency worker rights - pay increase

[di30]

My friend been working for the same agency full time since October 2011, and before that the sister company agency.

Since the new working rights 01 October 2011, and the 12 weeks working continous, the pay was then increased to the same as those who are permanent. She first received this at the start of January 2012.

However, she has been working for this agency now for just over 20 weeks and the company/factory perms have received a payrise increase with backpay as from January 2012.

One of her agency co workers contacted their agency and asked about this, because both my friend, her colleague and others that been working there the same time although they received the normal pay the same as the perms, so pay rights are pay rights after 12 continuous working weeks.

So when the perms first received a pay rise this week backdated from January, surely the eligible agency workers should be entitled to the pay rise increase as well, and have it backdated?

The agency replied and said NO!!!

Surely this is not right?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15115461

[Fribourg]

Re: Agency worker rights - pay increase

That law supposed to help, but in fact does not, I had to became limited company myself to get back to work on the same assignment I was working for the last 12 weeks, what happened was that the company say to the agency send me someone else to replace this guy that has just been 12 weeks here.

And this not only happened to me, 3 more people were on the same situation

[SXGuy]

Re: Agency worker rights - pay increase

There are some advantages to being a LTD company, however there are some that are not.

Many people think that the tax advantage outweighs being self employed, yes it does, but you now have to consider as an employer employing yourself, you now have Employers NI to pay each month, as well as your usually tax and ni bills.

Again because you are employed in your own company, tax and ni becomes due every month or quarter (depending on the pay level) whereas being self employed, its due at the end of the year and middle, (Jan and July)

Lastly, the money that the ltd company receives stays owned by the company, you can only draw on that money through PAYE, Dividends and the like, whereas being self employed, ALL the money is your own to spend how you wish.

I realise a lot of contractors these days have had no choice but to become ltd due to not getting any work otherwise, but the myth that ltd is better is not always the case!