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Oh 'eck!
Well another interesting day from the Life Of Provost 
As you know I have been working for GSK as a contractor for about 10 months now. However GSK has issued a decree that they are only willing to deal with two particular agencies and needless to say I am not allied to either of them. Not a big problem, I just handed in my notice with the agency and commenced transfer to one of the preferred agencies. However as GSK are the biggest pharma employer in the UK this causes these other agencies a few problems.
Anyway, I am currently being paid on the Friday of every week, but last Friday no pay went in. They emailed us saying that there were some payroll problems and they are being sorted, no big deal. Yesterday (Wed, 03-Feb-05) came and still no pay, so I sent them an email. I received a reply near to the close of business asking to ring them as soon as possible. Hmmm...
This morning I arrived at work bright and early to find to my consternation that the parent company of my agency, and thus my agency too, have gone into receivership. Quite deep in the s**t considering they owe me two weeks wages (they have a week in hand too). Enough to cause me some serious financial headaches.
So I rang the agency about this first thing this morning and they said that they haven't paid me and cannot pay me until the receivers have left, and in worst case scenario I could be the best part of £1000 down, and that is excluding what I have worked this week so far. But he reassured me that there was a management buyout under way, etc, etc. I wasn't particularly comforted considering they had hidden the fact from me that the company has been in receivership since Tuesday, 25-Jan-05 and claimed it was just a 'payroll problem'. Livid was a mild understatement.
But everything is under control having used a bit of knowledge I have and liased with the agency I am changing over to (I was currently in my notice period with this agency before changeover, and GSK are currently very keen that we change agencies ASAP so they have no problems with this stuff, and actually actively assist). After consultation I have basically acted on my right to terminate the current arrangement immediately due to breach of contract, and GSK have done likewise (they have breached the contract to pay me on the behalf of GSK, who pay them plenty of money to do so). Because of how they are invoiced, GSK are still sitting on the money. This has meant I have been able to change agency immediately (in fact backdated to Monday so my pay for this week will come from them for this week). They will arrange for all outstanding sums to be paid to me too so it looks like things have finally come under control and it should be sorted. Still leaves a gaping hole in my cashflow
Although it's a good job I had enough money kicking around in the bank for a 'rainy day'.
I am just a bit cautious though, does all this stuff sound legit from a legal perspective? I have had to act to save my own neck in this situation even if this number of us doing this will probably nail shut the coffin of my current (or previous should I say) agency.
Hmmm...
As you know I have been working for GSK as a contractor for about 10 months now. However GSK has issued a decree that they are only willing to deal with two particular agencies and needless to say I am not allied to either of them. Not a big problem, I just handed in my notice with the agency and commenced transfer to one of the preferred agencies. However as GSK are the biggest pharma employer in the UK this causes these other agencies a few problems.
Anyway, I am currently being paid on the Friday of every week, but last Friday no pay went in. They emailed us saying that there were some payroll problems and they are being sorted, no big deal. Yesterday (Wed, 03-Feb-05) came and still no pay, so I sent them an email. I received a reply near to the close of business asking to ring them as soon as possible. Hmmm...
This morning I arrived at work bright and early to find to my consternation that the parent company of my agency, and thus my agency too, have gone into receivership. Quite deep in the s**t considering they owe me two weeks wages (they have a week in hand too). Enough to cause me some serious financial headaches.
So I rang the agency about this first thing this morning and they said that they haven't paid me and cannot pay me until the receivers have left, and in worst case scenario I could be the best part of £1000 down, and that is excluding what I have worked this week so far. But he reassured me that there was a management buyout under way, etc, etc. I wasn't particularly comforted considering they had hidden the fact from me that the company has been in receivership since Tuesday, 25-Jan-05 and claimed it was just a 'payroll problem'. Livid was a mild understatement.
But everything is under control having used a bit of knowledge I have and liased with the agency I am changing over to (I was currently in my notice period with this agency before changeover, and GSK are currently very keen that we change agencies ASAP so they have no problems with this stuff, and actually actively assist). After consultation I have basically acted on my right to terminate the current arrangement immediately due to breach of contract, and GSK have done likewise (they have breached the contract to pay me on the behalf of GSK, who pay them plenty of money to do so). Because of how they are invoiced, GSK are still sitting on the money. This has meant I have been able to change agency immediately (in fact backdated to Monday so my pay for this week will come from them for this week). They will arrange for all outstanding sums to be paid to me too so it looks like things have finally come under control and it should be sorted. Still leaves a gaping hole in my cashflow
Although it's a good job I had enough money kicking around in the bank for a 'rainy day'.I am just a bit cautious though, does all this stuff sound legit from a legal perspective? I have had to act to save my own neck in this situation even if this number of us doing this will probably nail shut the coffin of my current (or previous should I say) agency.
Hmmm...
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