Agency being difficult

WolfSong2000 · 10 November 2014 at 4:51PM

Hiya,

Quick query...this is more about principle than anything else.

Basically signed up with agency. They sent through a BACS form for me to fill out bank details. I duly filled it in and signed electronically.

Agency are now saying they won't accent this and I have to hand sign the document, which means printing it out, filling it all in again by hand, scanning, saving and enailing them.

I have pointed out that the electronic signature is legally valid, but they are having none of it and saying even if that is the case it doesn't conform to their own compliance rules.

I am just wondering if I have a leg to stand on here? Its more about principle, as I said, as they have been messing me around from the start and this is the last straw.

brightonman123 · 10 November 2014 at 5:25PM

Shouldn't need bank details until you get placed in a (temp?) job.

Though I can see why original form needed, scanned / emailed copies could get forged?

InsideInsurance · 10 November 2014 at 5:41PM

Normally its for your benefit to have payroll set up ASAP rather than waiting for a placement and then handing over the details.

In what way did you "digitally sign it"? Doing a formal Acrobat PDF signing or just embedding a jpg of your signature into the document?

Personally I do the later, never tell anyone and to date no one has ever questioned it

engineer_amy · 10 November 2014 at 5:58PM

im not sure where that stands legally, but arguing with someone in the agency that has been told "this is the procedure, no exceptions" is pointless. you could go round in circles all day trying to make them see sense. Maybe for an easy life just print it and scan it.

in my agency, we accept a typed name, an embedded name or an adobe echosign document, as long as the bank account name matches the name of the temp. With bank details, they are attached to the new starter information form along with a printed copy of the email from the temp when it is given to payroll, in order to create a trail to prove the temp gave those bank details. Its a procedure that works for us, but every agency is different. We wont accept bank details over the phone!

lovinituk · 10 November 2014 at 6:02PM

WolfSong2000 wrote: »

and I have to hand sign the document, which means printing it out, filling it all in again by hand, scanning, saving and enailing them.

So all of about 10 minutes work then!! You could have done it by now. Probably took almost as long to log on here and post about it!

brightonman123 · 10 November 2014 at 6:48PM

One job I temped at was all done online (secure server!) - timesheet submission, payslips etc..

WolfSong2000 · 10 November 2014 at 8:14PM

Hi guys,

Thanks for the advice. To give more info, I have been in the role almost 6 weeks...took me 2 weeks to decide whether to go through an umbrella, or to go Ltd. Decided weeks ago to go Ltd, but time has been taken up setting up the Lts business, bank account and meeting with accountant. This has frustrated the agency compliance team, so I get the impression their hardline attitude is "payback".

I basically typed my name in the signature box. It's fine - it's legal, and to back it up they have an email from me confirming I "signed" it and agreed to the conditions. But no, they want it hand signed.

Normally I would just do as they ask, but they've screwed me around a lot - including a bait and switch with the original rate of pay I was promised. I have been messed around by agencies in the past, too, so I have a shorter tether in general.

I just want to know if they can withold my pay based on this pedantic requirement which is not actually required in law.

engineer_amy · 10 November 2014 at 8:39PM

More than likely they are just being difficult. Ask for a written copy of this policy that states you must provide a handwritten signature.

Agencies cannot withhold pay legally, however there are many delaying/stalling tactics often used. I would contact BERR employment agency standards inspectorate (google them). They can tell you for definite if the agency has any legal footing for this policy and you can also lodge a complaint with them if you wish

lovinituk · 11 November 2014 at 9:06AM

It just all seems very petty to me. Why stoop to their level? Is it really a fight worth fighting? It is a very first world problem!

shortcrust · 11 November 2014 at 10:26AM

All things being equal, who would you place in a job - the person who just returned the form as requested or the person who kicked up a silly fuss about signing something electronically? Wouldn't it be quicker just to ask them to put a massive red 'Warning - this one's trouble!!' sticker on your file?

Agency being difficult

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