Still in job, 3 month IT Contract - Oct. 2003

Disssgruntled

Mods - I checked out the Legal Issues section first but I really think I'd get more responses here? Would you mind leaving this here for a time even if you think its not a great fit???

Hi All,

I am hoping that somebody out there can offer me some advice on a situation I am in. I signed a 3 month contract with a Global IT Support organisation to provide IT Support to a large Multi-National company's Customer Care centre in Oct. 2003. Since then I have not put pen to paper contractually but have been in constant week in, week out employment for the past 4.75 years. Same duties, responsibilities, office, desk and stapler ;-)

At month end I fill in a timesheet which gets witnessed by company who I provide my services to and I get paid then via an "Umbrella" Company etc.

Last week there was talk of axing one position to meet a headcount demand from a new arrival/influential third party Co. that is just on the scene. I am concerned that I will be asked to vacate my position and I am wondering if there is any grounds for me to stake a claim for myself under Irish employment law ???

In my favour is an impeccable employment/performance history with zero absenteeism or grounds for complaint and the fact that I have reliably performed my role for so long. I think I have been operating in a bit of a legislative vacuum and wonder if I have a shot at at least getting some sort of redundancy severance package?

Also the job has changed due to a recent management change and we are now being spirit-crushingly micro-managed by a mildly unpleasant upstart girl who has no notion of the important stuff and an eagle eye on the absurd stuff she cares about :rolleyes: She can also be nasty in a generally ignorant type of way - Point being I'd like to establish my rights and stake them by any means fair or foul.......

- Afterthought - this has been a sudden change and has caught me by surprise; I have two children < 3 yrs and a partner who is on reduced hours next year........

Anyway perhaps somebody has seen or heard of something similar or happens to be qualified in this area ;-)

Thanks in advance,

Disssgruntled

dade

check out this thread http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055317469 i stuck some info on the legal side of contract work

seems to me you are a self employed person would i be right? you pay submit your own taxes or you pay a small fee to some agency to do the submission for you? if that's the case then the onus would be on you to request contracts when the previous ones had expired i would think

Einstein

i was an IT contractor for 5 years, It was up to the agency i was with to negotiate contracts, after the end of the agreed initial period. Mine were 6 monther's with theodd one year. But I'd be putting pressure on you agency to get the finger out and secure you something fair and logical. have youreceived any rate increase since you started?

qwertz

Keep in mind that as a contractor you wouldn't count towards the headcount.

Disssgruntled

Hey Folks,

Thanks for the replies so far - I was asked [told] to sign up with CXC so - they in turn set up a company for you. Does this mean that I'd be treated as a company rather than an employed individual in the eyes of our Employment Laws?

- Would like to get clarification on this once and for all

Qwertz I do know what you mean, but in this case there are multiple contractors in the Dept. and they are counting us as [conveniently disposable] headcount.........

Cheers

Disssgruntled.

dade

Disssgruntled wrote: »

I was asked [told] to sign up with CXC so - they in turn set up a company for you. Does this mean that I'd be treated as a company rather than an employed individual in the eyes of our Employment Laws?

- Would like to get clarification on this once and for all
.

IIRC you'd be considered self employed and as such you have to submit your own tax return etc at the end of the year, the daily rate you get probably does not include any deductions for tax ie you have to pay your own income tax at the end of the year, you probably submit an invoice to them every month (in the form of your time sheet). if this crowd set up the company for you then they may do it all for you for a small fee. you can also claim work related expenses in your tax return (petrol for some travel, some of your car insurance, some of your phone bill etc)