Reed

[red.ninja13]

I recently got a job offer through REED accountancy, but was told i had to do 6 weeks temp - perm. i was told that i would get £17k. Now as a temp i am only earning the equivalent to £15.5k, are they allowed to do that, and who do i complain to? i tried to complain to the guy who is supposed to be looking after me, but he said that he will look into it......2 weeks ago!

I really don't think its fair that for six weeks i earn alot less, when they are hiring me out for £13 p/h.

Also i was pushed into having my wages paid through an umbrella company, as i get an extra pound an hour, BUT i have to pay them about £30/w for the privalidge, so i end up about £5 or £10 better off (but still doesn't equate to £17k)

[Sidewinder]

Were you actually told that you would be paid £17k by teh Agency, or that after a successful period of temping you would be paid £17k for the permanent position if successful, but a lesser rate in the interim period? Temp to Perm arrangements are commonplace, with the candidate receiving only a proportion of the Agencies total charge for providing the staff for the Temp period, but then going across to the Employer's payroll after a predetermined period if suitable. The Agency bears the cost of selection, whilst the Employer does not have the cost of recruitment nor the hassle of going through the process again if you prove to be unsuitable. The same goes for the hourly rate - they may well be charging £13 per hour, but you will always only get a percentage of that - it is how they make their profit and will be a contractual agreement when you accept the Agency's terms. The Agency we use charge us £10.85 per hour but the Temp only gets around £7 of that. The alternative is to look for a suitable position yourself and be paid the full market rate from day one.

Be careful with the 'umbrella company' as you may well be tied into a contract requiring a payment if you should dispense with their services - a recent post involved the company witholding their P45 because they refused to pay!

[red.ninja13]

i have a spare p45 so i am safe!
Thats the thing nobody said anything, i asked my reed rep what the salary was and he said 17k for the first 6 weeks you'll be a temp and be paid by us, then i was shipped off to this other reed guy who deals with temps, and he is soooo slimy he makes me feel sick! As i get paid through the umbrella company, i get no holiday pay and dont get paid for bank holidays, as i get an extra £ an hour, however all this money goes to the umbrella company!!! CON! I know that they get a percentage, but everywhere else i have temped, it has been about £3, especially since the slimeball at reed told me they make 'a very small profit'!