Are you paid promptly by agencies?

[locums husband]

My wife is a locum pharmacist.

She stopped being self-employed last year and became PAYE with an agency whose contract says that they will pay her each week. Payments are regularly late and despite complaints the position is not improving. She is currently owed for 3 weeks and is being given what I consider to be lame excuses.

I guess it is inappropriate to name the agency (but I'm very tempted!).

How common is this? What should she do? Is this agency solvent?

A good use of the forum (assuming that the administrator doesn't wish the forum to be involved in individual contractual disputes) might be to praise the good agencies. So who do you recommend?

PS My wife has found all her own work from recommendations and through colleagues and the agency has collected a fat fee for a number of years for doing relatively little.

[Linnear]

Most pharmaceutical companies are pretty good with payment. the slowest always used to be Boots but I think they've picked up now.

Never worked as an employee of an agency so can't answer for that.

Hope your wife sorts it out.

All the best

[admin]

Originally Posted by locums husband

My wife is a locum pharmacist.

She stopped being self-employed last year and became PAYE with an agency whose contract says that they will pay her each week. Payments are regularly late and despite complaints the position is not improving. She is currently owed for 3 weeks and is being given what I consider to be lame excuses.

I guess it is inappropriate to name the agency (but I'm very tempted!).

How common is this? What should she do? Is this agency solvent?

A good use of the forum (assuming that the administrator doesn't wish the forum to be involved in individual contractual disputes) might be to praise the good agencies. So who do you recommend?

PS My wife has found all her own work from recommendations and through colleagues and the agency has collected a fat fee for a number of years for doing relatively little.

Hi and thanks for joining.

I don't understand why your wife has this arrangement in place. You are usually much better off financially being self employed. Last year I earned 37k and paid about 4k in tax, and I work a 3 or 4 day week. Why did she change? She will have lost all her tax breaks by going to PAYE, so her salary must be very good to have made it worth her while to change.

I do get most of my work through an agency, but I know their charges are not much per day for placing a pharmacist. The companies I work for pay me direct, and usually very promptly. I am usually paid every week, and thats for the week two weeks previous. If I ever have any problems with companies (which is rare) the agency are on my side, and have always been ok. I also get a discount from a very good accountant for being with the agency.

If you want any more details then just contact me.

[locums husband]

Why go through an agency?

Well some NHS Trusts will only work through agencies and I understand if you locum for only one employer for a long period you can't claim to be self employed.

Wife is now voting with her feet and changing agency. The new one seems more efficient and professional. The money came through - some payments 8 weeks late!

[admin]

Originally Posted by locums husband

Why go through an agency?

Well some NHS Trusts will only work through agencies and I understand if you locum for only one employer for a long period you can't claim to be self employed.

Wife is now voting with her feet and changing agency. The new one seems more efficient and professional. The money came through - some payments 8 weeks late!

Hi

I'm not saying don't go through an agency. I do use one all the time. What I do is just get work given to me from the agency. I do my days work, and the agency sends the company a seperate bill. I am still self employed though, and that gives me all the tax breaks.