Please tell me what you think of this...

[bellathebluebell]

I've just been offered a contract for 2 to 3 months.

The job was advertised with a salary of £25k to £30k. From the outset, I told the agency I was after £30k because I have been earning that figure (and slightly more) for similar jobs for about the last seven years(!). Recruiter tells me the company are looking to pay £28k. I re-iterate I am looking for £30k. He tells me it shouldn't be a problem.

Fine, I go along for interview. They like me and I like them. I am offered the job. I tell the recruiter I will accept if they can offer me £30k. He tells me that shouldn't be a problem. He comes back and tells me they're fine with that salary. It translates into an hourly rate of £15 per hour which apparently is pretty good and the last temp did a few more hours.

Now... I have looked at this a bit more carefully and to earn £30k I would actually need to work 255 days or 51 weeks (based on hourly rate of £15, holiday pay of 12.07% and work week of 35 hours). I wouldn't actually be able to work 255 days as the office is closed for 8 bank holidays.

If I work the standard office hours and take 25 days holiday and 8 days bank holiday (pro rata). I will earn £26,711 and not even the £28k the company are apparently 'prepared to pay'.

i can see that if I'm not careful this is going to turn into a bit of a bun fight. I know that the recruiter has already lied to me so I don't trust him one bit. Can anyone advise how I can resolve this to my advantage? I like the company but I'm fairly sure that if I make life a bit difficult for him I will be canned. He has already hinted at this.

i would like to try and reach a resolution but I am prepared to walk away if necessary.

What does your contract say? Is it a salaried post as advertised or hourly paid? What are the standard office hours? Do you not get paid for bank holidays?

Sorry for all the questions!

Am I missing something here?

£15ph for 40 hours PW translates as £31,200 per year

I think you're a bit naive to think 35 hours is a standard working week. Even in public sector it'so at least 36 or 37 in most places I know. In most private sector places 40 hours is absolute standard.

It was agreed late last night so I'm waiting on the paperwork to come through.

It was advertised as a salaried post of £25k to £30k so I assumed everything (i.e. salary and holiday) would be pro rata. When he called me back he said it was an hourly rate of £15 per hour. Holiday pay for the first 12 weeks will accrue at 12.07% which will make it £16.81. If it were pro rata i would expect to be paid for bank holidays but not if it's an hourly rate.

Standard office hours are 9 to 5 so it would be 35 hours per week. I realise this is a bit cushy for a salaried position but it's no good if they pay me hourly!!!

I'm not saying 35 hours is a standard working week. It's the hours for this company.

I don't want to be paid hourly for such a short working week...

How many hours per week did you want to work or did they say you would be working?

Agencies usually pay by the hour.

Is the agency paying you or the employer.

If it's the agency they will be billing the employer a higher rate per hour and taking their share then paying you

They've said that the hours are 9 to 5 which totals 35 hours per week.

I'm prepared to work more.

What I'm saying is, he is telling me they have agreed £30k which translates into £15 per hour. If I calculate this within the parameters of minimum hours I can work (i.e. 35 hours, minus 8 days bank holiday and potentially 25 days holiday) I will earn £26,711 which is obviously nowhere near the £30k agreed.

Agency will pay me.

Yes, for short term positions I would expect an hourly rate. I would also expect them to advertise that rate (rather than a salary).

I get that, but it's only for 8-12 weeks though right?

Do you have the option for overtime?

Sure it's an hour unpaid? I work 8-4, 5 days a week but this is 37.5 hours as it's only a half an hour unpaid each day.
If yours was a similar case then this would calculate correctly.

£30,000 /52 weeks/35 hours = £16.48 ph not £15

It is for 2 to 3 months but it has the potential to go permanent so I would like to get my ducks in a row at the start.

He is telling me £15 an hour will earn me £30k. It won't. I think he's banking on the fact that I won't realise this.

Fair enough. i think you need to clarify your exact working hours and then produce the figures to your agency.

On £15 an hour, I will only be paid for the hours I work (as I have to fill in a timesheet). Holiday accrues at 12.07% per hour so it will be £16.81 per hour.

If I was there long term, I wouldn't be able to work bank holidays as the office is closed. That means 8 days unpaid.

If I was there long term, I would also hope to take some holiday. Again, I won't be paid when I'm not there as it covered in the 12.07% above). This is a large international company who work for big brands. The holiday allowance is 25 days.

I have just finished another contract. I was paid £30k pro rata with 25 days holiday and 8 days bank holiday (also pro rata). When he came back with the confirmation (verbal) I was expecting the same arrangement.

Worth checking the holiday allowance too, the bank holidays may be paid automatically but taken out of your holiday allowance - some agencies do this. So you may only get 17 days holiday if the bank holidays are included as paid. I hope that makes sense.

Hmm...

I think I will ask him to clarify his numbers. I fail to see how I am going to earn £30k without doing a lot of overtime.

i might just walk away from this one. It seems like too much hard work.

9-5 usually includes a half hour lunch break rather than an hour, which would be 37.5 hours per week?

ok you are partially right if the 35 hour week is standard full time at the company. But your bank holidays aren't unpaid. They are paid through that 12.07% holiday pay. You will get paid £16.81 for each hour you work which equates to working for one hour at £15 per hour and then 7 minutes of paid leave. If you worked a full year under these conditions you would work 35x(52-5.6) hours - 52 weeks minus 5.6 weeks min statutory leave = 1624 hours. That x £16.81 is a full time salary of £27,299.44. To be the equivalent of £30k per year you would need £18.47 per hour inc holiday pay if 35hours is full time. (at 40 hours per week it's only £16.16 per hour). So yes you have a point. But your skills are only worth what an employer is prepared to pay.

Cross posted with pullthecracker that might be a partial explanation but it still doesn't quite work out. even with a half hour lunch break instead of an hour you'd still need the hourly rate inc holiday pay to be overy £17. To make £16.81ph equate to £30k pa you need to be working 38.5 hours per week which if they have yo be fitted between 9 and 5 means only 17 minutes of lunch break each day.