Its easy for a company to pay staff weekly?

faringdon

Hi,
I do a lot of work for lots of different electronics companies. Sometimes when i start a job with a really small company, i worry that i could work for them for the first month, then just receive no pay. This is bad because often the workplace is far from my home, and i have to pay B&B bills too. So is it too much of a hassle to request that a company pays  weekly?.....at least for the first month of a job ,say? I am referring to being on PAYE. But also when i am working as a contractor through an umbrella agency.
I mean, is it really  unreasonable to ask to be payed  weekly?

Alderbank

It's not a matter of reasonableness. It's entirely a matter of what you and the company both agree in the contract of employment or the contract for services.

It will be inconvenient for them and they are taking on some degree of risk. It boils down to how keen they are to use you. If you are cheaper than the other applicants or the only suitable candidate who applies then they might well agree. But make sure it is agreed and written into the contract before you start working for them - they won't change it afterwards.

comeandgo

faringdon said:

Hi,
I do a lot of work for lots of different electronics companies. Sometimes when i start a job with a really small company, i worry that i could work for them for the first month, then just receive no pay. This is bad because often the workplace is far from my home, and i have to pay B&B bills too. So is it too much of a hassle to request that a company pays  weekly?.....at least for the first month of a job ,say? I am referring to being on PAYE. But also when i am working as a contractor through an umbrella agency.
I mean, is it really  unreasonable to ask to be payed  weekly?

It is really unreasonable to be asked to be paid weekly.  You could ask for a sub or advance payment though.

faringdon

How much "advance payment" or "sub" may i please ask is reasonable to request.?....it would only be for the first month.
One problem is when a customer gives you a spec on the first day and you work to it.....then after 3 weeks they change it to a spec which simply is not possible, or is very unwise, and they didnt realise....so they then realise they dont want to employ you after all...and so may just not pay you after your first month.

elsien

Perhaps you need to try to build up a little more of a buffer. If you are living week to week and things go pear shaped you have nothing to fall back on. 

General_Grant

faringdon said:

Hi,
I do a lot of work for lots of different electronics companies. Sometimes when i start a job with a really small company, i worry that i could work for them for the first month, then just receive no pay. This is bad because often the workplace is far from my home, and i have to pay B&B bills too. So is it too much of a hassle to request that a company pays  weekly?.....at least for the first month of a job ,say? I am referring to being on PAYE. But also when i am working as a contractor through an umbrella agency.
I mean, is it really  unreasonable to ask to be payed  weekly?

If you work through an umbrella agency, then their terms for the client could include weekly invoices to start (with payment within, say, 7 days).

If PAYE then an advance of 50% after first week seems not unreasonable to me.  Obviously agree this (or whatever you want) before starting the work.

elsien said:

Perhaps you need to try to build up a little more of a buffer. If you are living week to week and things go pear shaped you have nothing to fall back on. 

I don't think it is about building a buffer/living week to week but simply worrying about not being paid at all, being out of pocket with expenses as well as not being paid for the work done.

Alanp

The company I work for pay weakly…very weakly 

EnPointe

faringdon said:

Hi,
I do a lot of work for lots of different electronics companies. Sometimes when i start a job with a really small company, i worry that i could work for them for the first month, then just receive no pay. This is bad because often the workplace is far from my home, and i have to pay B&B bills too. So is it too much of a hassle to request that a company pays  weekly?.....at least for the first month of a job ,say? I am referring to being on PAYE. But also when i am working as a contractor through an umbrella agency.
I mean, is it really  unreasonable to ask to be payed  weekly?

It is arguably 3.5 to 4 times the cost for a business to pay weekly vs  calender monthly , it;s sufficient a saving for a business to change from lunar to calender  monthly  ( 12 times a year not 123 times a year) 

EnPointe

General_Grant said:

I don't think it is about building a buffer/living week to week but simply worrying about not being paid at all, being out of pocket with expenses as well as not being paid for the work done.

Generally  and for the past  couple or  three decades people have done this using credit cards either personal or  business. 

Nothanks

I’m not sure I get the relationship here. 

If they’re paying your agency and complain about the work for whatever reason - that’s the agency to sort out but if you’ve worked the hours you’ve worked the hours. 

If you’re self employed then you essentially write your own terms and get paid at whatever intervals you agree. 

If you’re employed by them, they pay you for time worked and can’t deduct it because they change the spec. 

General_Grant

EnPointe said:

General_Grant said:

I don't think it is about building a buffer/living week to week but simply worrying about not being paid at all, being out of pocket with expenses as well as not being paid for the work done.

Generally  and for the past  couple or  three decades people have done this using credit cards either personal or  business. 

How does using a credit card help with an employer/client not paying you for work done?
The OP was asking about not being paid.  The OP was not asking about managing their own living expenses.