-
Asha Vadher
Regional Contracts team
London office
Issues to be considered
How do I get started?
When you register with Taylor Root you will need to provide us with a copy of your passport including any relevant Visa, your most recent academic certificates or transcripts and references. We require you to fill in a Registration Form in order to comply with the Employment Agencies Act 2004 and Data Protection Act 1998. We also monitor equality and diversity and require you to fill in a Diversity form, the data from which remains anonymous.
1. Will I be entitled to holidays?
a) Temporary Assignments
The European Working Time Directive states that all PAYE workers are entitled to 24 days’ holiday per year, which includes eight public holidays (as of 1st October 2007). This will increase to 28 days in 2009.
An individual working on a temporary assignment will be paid an hourly or daily rate and a sum equating to 10.17% of the hourly rate will be retained in a separate ‘holiday fund’. When you take a day’s holiday, that day will be paid from the accrued holiday pot.
b) Contract Assignments
An individual working on a contract will have the same holiday entitlement as a permanent employee but on a pro-rata basis.
2. What happens with my Tax and National Insurance (NI)?
a) Temporary Assignments
i) PAYE - If you are working as a temporary worker through Taylor Root, we will automatically deduct PAYE (Pay as you Earn) tax and NI from your salary. If you are working in the UK for the first time, you need to apply for a NI number from the Department of Social Security and fill in a P46 which will give you an emergency tax code.
ii) Working as a Limited Company - If you are working through a Limited Company we strongly advise that you take independent professional advice regarding the set up and operation of the company to ensure that you comply with the Government’s anti-tax avoidance legislation; IR35. We are unable to deal with individuals working via a Managed Service Company. We require that individuals working through Limited Companies have their own professional indemnity insurance. The rate that Taylor Root pays individuals working through a Limited Company will include NI (12.8%).
b) Contract Assignments
Individuals working on a fixed-term contract cannot work under a Limited Company. If you are working on a fixed-term contract, your tax and National Insurance will automatically be deducted by the Company on a PAYE basis.
3. What Notice do I have to give?
a) Temporary Assignments
Where an individual is working through Taylor Root on a temporary assignment the notice period tends to be relatively short. It is market norm for each party to give one weeks notice. For assignments of less than 2 weeks this is often shortened to one or two days notice by either side.
b) Contract Assignments
Where an individual is working on a fixed term contract the notice will normally be longer and may be from one week up to one month.
4. Do I need a Visa?
In order for an individual to work on a locum basis you must have the right to work in the UK. We are able to place British Citizens, EC and EEA nationals as well as individuals with relevant work permits. Many of our candidates are on Working Holiday Visas which allow them to work for 12 months within a 24 month period. The Highly Skilled Migrant Worker Visa allows an individual to work for 4 years without any restrictions.
We are unable to assist interim workers to secure sponsorship.
5. How can I ensure continuity of work?
Many interim roles are extended or rolled over. Some roles eventually go permanent. The main way to ensure that your role is continued or that you have a steady flow of roles is to make sure that you treat each role as you would a permanent role. You should ensure that you are professional, that you arrive at work on stipulated time, that you complete tasks professionally and ensure a good working relationship with the company where you are working.
You should also make sure that you have a positive and open relationship with your recruitment consultant; update your consultant with changes in your circumstances, update CVs etc
6. When Should I apply for Temporary Roles?
The temporary market is highly reactive; organisations tend to only recruit locum assistance when the need arises, by which time the need is often urgent! For this reason it is most sensible to start to apply for roles about a month to 6 weeks before you become available.
7. Will my role go permanent?
A considerable percentage of temporary roles are eventually made permanent – although there are no guarantees! In the case of covering for maternity leave, sick leave etc there is always the chance that the person may not return. In large organisations, once an interim worker is in place the company/law firm may realise that the need is permanent and it is much easier to consider an individual already working within the organisation than recruiting externally.
