Case 0209-001
Background: A long-established Agency client of mine had engaged a foreign national from his employer (who held the relevant work permit), and had hired him on to a Client. The employer, who had already made very substantial amounts of money on the margin between what my Agency client was paying them and what they were paying the individual for some years) withheld the individual’s last months salary and holiday pay, without any proper cause. My Agency client believed this withholding to be wholly wrong and morally indefensible.
Advice / Action: After advice from me, my Agency client decided to accept an assignment of the sums due to the individual, to pay him direct, and to deduct that from the sums due to the employer on their final invoice to the Agency.
Action: A carefully worded letter was drafted to the employer, with the intention of spelling out the position clearly, letting them know exactly what action was being taken and why, and making clear that they had very little choice but to accept the position.
Comment: Doing ‘the right thing’ in business sometimes involves a degree of risk. On the other hand, we are all human, and should (I believe) never lose sight of the fact that those we deal with in the course of business are also human too. This Agency client has earned my respect for the way in which he dealt with this situation. If the story earns your respect too, and if you are a Contractor or a Client interested in working with an agency who does business honorably, then mail me and I will give you details.
© Roger Sinclair & Egos Ltd- roger@egos.co.uk 2002 - All rights reserved - see full copyright details
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