Agency withholding wages until supplies returned

planning303

Agencies love to threaten to withhold wages, it's worth baring in mind that if you are on NMW or near to it. them withholding your wage will result in you working beneath the NMW threshold and therefore paying you below minimum wage..

Does PMP still run the agency contract? they love doing questionable practices like the travel scheme and that

Humphrey10

vax2002 wrote: »

A pair of old used boots ? a 50p hi-viz vest, again used and an id card with his name on.
They are really preventing the company from functioning .

I thought it was odd too - surely they don't reuse safety boots! That's disgusting, there's no way I would ever accept being given used shoes as PPE. The vest is almost worthless, and I've never heard of swipe cards having to be returned before - I've got one for every office I've ever worked in. It seems very strange that they want these items returned.

RobertoMoir

Humphrey10 wrote: »

I thought it was odd too - surely they don't reuse safety boots! That's disgusting, there's no way I would ever accept being given used shoes as PPE. The vest is almost worthless, and I've never heard of swipe cards having to be returned before - I've got one for every office I've ever worked in. It seems very strange that they want these items returned.

Maybe they don't want to leave stuff out there which would enable a non staff member to look like a staff member and possibly allow them to gain access to the premises?

SarEl

Jarndyce wrote: »

Don't be so bloody stupid.

Agreed. !!!!!!, how hard is this? The law says that the employer cannot refuse to pay wages due and that they cannot make unlawful deductions - the employer has done neither.

Not one person has even thought to ask, and I bet the OP hasn't even bothered to look - amongst the myriad of forms that agency workers sign, was there one that said that the employer was entitled to make deductions for items not returned? Because I will lay bets that there was.

It doesn't matter a jot what the boots or the vest are "worth" or whether they will be binned or not. That is all opinion. The items do not belong to the OP, so the OP returns them and they get paid. Simples.

patman99

It could be that the hi-vis has the company logo on and they have no wish to lose their stuff. As for the boots, I have never come across and agency that supplies these, nor a hirer who will supply boots to temps. This is highly unusual.
Try phoning Amazon and asking whether they want the 3 items back, or just the card and hi-vis. If they want just the hi-vis and card, pack them in a postbag and send back recorded delivery.
Simples.

Btw, some access cards (mine included) allow not only access to buildings, but unlock computers as well. Hence Amazon needing to know where all their PKI cards are at any one time.

hcb42

Agreed, give the employer their stuff back. Whether there is a residual value in them or not is immaterial. Especially the access card, these are not always the cheapest things to buy, and any company that doesnt have a secure process for the issuing and retrieval of these might as well leave the darn doors open!

planning303

SarEl wrote: »

amongst the myriad of forms that agency workers sign, was there one that said that the employer was entitled to make deductions for items not returned? Because I will lay bets that there was.

Doesn't make any difference what un-enforcable contracts the agency got the OP to sign.. if the deductions reduce the recieved wage to lower than the minimum wage it is illegal!

planning303

my work gets PPE back by requesting that all leaving staff attend a "leaving interview" during which time they return the PPE / clock card / fleece / vending key etc etc and are asked for reasons why they are leaving.

they then recieve a bonus for returning / attending the meeting in their final pay packet..

this works much more effectively than threatening to take something that they cannot legally take

SarEl

liggins wrote: »

Doesn't make any difference what un-enforcable contracts the agency got the OP to sign.. if the deductions reduce the recieved wage to lower than the minimum wage it is illegal!

A legally incorrect statement. Signing an agreement for deductions is legally enforceable. And lawful dedcutions from a final wage can take the wage below the NMW - it can in fact reduce the wage to nothing if they are lawful deductions under the law or a contractual agreement.

withabix

As you were working through an Agency, were you ACTUALLY an employee of the Agency, or were you party to the tax loophole whereby you were a Subcontractor?

That might make a difference, however, irrespective of that, why didn't you leave these items at Amazon when you left?