Call Centre Job - Asked to reigster as 'self employed'

LeRoi93 · 1 October 2017 at 8:51PM

Hi, I hope I've posted this in the correct section.

Just wondering if what's been asked of me is 'normal'.

Ok, I'm still looking for my first permanent job since graduating in the summer and have been temping in the mean time. Last week I interviewed for and got a call centre job. However, the lady interviewing me said that all the staff that work there have to register themselves as self employed. She explained this is because people regularly just quit the job and this way it saves them time adding then removing them from the books. I'm just wondering is this normal, or a good thing? The pay is minimum wage and as it's a call centre their is commission (the job involves ringing people up to notify them they could save money on their energy bills).

TheCyclingProgrammer · 1 October 2017 at 9:29PM

Is it normal? Judging from posts I see on here, probably very normal.

Is it right? Not really. The person you spoke to said it themselves - making their staff “self employed” (when in reality they probably aren’t) saves them hassle and it saves them money. It means they don’t have to pay employers national insurance or other benefits. They can also get rid of you whenever they want.

Businesses who think they can choose to treat employees this way really annoy me.

If you’re desperate for a job have you considered your local fast food joint? The money is probably better and you won’t be calling people and annoying them and wasting people’s time to make a living.

LeRoi93 · 1 October 2017 at 9:48PM

TheCyclingProgrammer wrote: »

Is it normal? Judging from posts I see on here, probably very normal.

Is it right? Not really. The person you spoke to said it themselves - making their staff “self employed” (when in reality they probably aren’t) saves them hassle and it saves them money. It means they don’t have to pay employers national insurance or other benefits. They can also get rid of you whenever they want.

Businesses who think they can choose to treat employees this way really annoy me.

If you’re desperate for a job have you considered your local fast food joint? The money is probably better and you won’t be calling people and annoying them and wasting people’s time to make a living.

Thanks. I'm not 'that' desperate as I still live at home and had a temp job for two months straight after uni, and then got this. I have applied at lots of local shops too and also registered to do voluntary work. I think I'll give this job a shot and continue to look for other things in the meantime

00ec25 · 1 October 2017 at 10:54PM

LeRoi93 wrote: »

Just wondering if what's been asked of me is 'normal'.

it is normal in the sense they have done it to exploit you, pure and simple: No paid holiday, no sick pay, no pension, no employment rights re notice and dismissal. You are responsible for paying your own taxes (at least until HMRC catches them out )

would it stand up to a challenge if you took them to court? They won't find out until it gets there, but you won't be the one to do that as that is what they are relying on

take the job if that is what you need to live on right now, but go in with your eyes open because it may be "common" but it is not "normal"

le_loup · 2 October 2017 at 8:31AM

00ec25 wrote: »

it is normal in the sense they have done it to exploit you, pure and simple

That is it in a nutshell.
It is difficult for you but, personally, I would avoid such "employers".

scd3scd4 · 2 October 2017 at 8:56AM

All that and for minimum wage.............they do want it all don't they!

xylophone · 2 October 2017 at 10:55AM

You say that you are

not 'that' desperate as I still live at home ....

Why take a job that seems expressly designed for those who are that desperate and in consequence willing to accept being exploited?

Call Centre Job - Asked to reigster as 'self employed'

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