Contractor Welcome Pack

2009 Crystal Umbrella Services Limited Contractor Welcome Pack

Crystal Umbrella Services Limited

Welcome to Crystal Umbrella Congratulations on securing your assignment, may we take this opportunity to welcome you to Crystal Umbrella. This welcome pack is designed to give you a clear overview of the Crystal Umbrella solution, our processes and the standard of service you can expect to receive whilst working with us. Having helped over 9,000 customers to date and as one of the preferred employment management companies of many leading UK Recruitment Agencies and corporate Clients, Crystal’s job is to leave you free to focus on your contract, without worrying about the financial side of things. Whilst working through Crystal Umbrella, you are assigned a unique, single point of contact known as a Personal Assistant (PA) for all queries relating to the management of your account. Your Personal Assistant’s contact details would have been supplied in the Welcome Email that you received on completion of your application.

Our 4 Point Promise When you chose to operate a contract through Crystal Umbrella Services you become what is known as a “Flexible Employee” which means you are employed by us. This gives you the security and benefits usually associated with a permanent position. Our 4 point promise outlines our compliance guarantees, to you as our employee: 1) 2) 3)

1

4)

Fully compliant employment contracts, intended to look after your best interests and ensure that all appropriate employment benefits are extended to you.

Note!

Complete compliance with all HMRC legislation regarding Remember; our contract of employment with you is there to give you all the benefits of employment often lost payment of tax, National Insurance and expenses when contracting. However, the contract with your Comprehensive insurance, mitigating the risk for you, your Client/Agency will still be in force and stipulate all the Client and any Agency/Client you may be working through. relevant terms of engagement such as your rate of pay, Complete payroll management to guarantee that payment is termination clauses overtime etc. made to you in full compliance of all current relevant legislation, such as National Minimum Wage and Holiday Pay.

Promoting Professional Standards across the Industry As a Crystal member, you will automatically benefit from the fact that Crystal Umbrella are an independently certified member of the AEMC (Association of Employment Management Companies). The AEMC was set up to provide a unified voice and set of standards across the Payment Solutions industry. It is a professional body made up of audited and unified Employment Management Companies, with a strict code of conduct underscoring the highest professional standards, with fully transparent practices and processes. You can therefore be safe in the knowledge that the solutions offered by Crystal Umbrella, have been built on the foundations of promoting and encouraging compliancy and security. In addition to this, our AEMC status ensures that there is no confusion concerning expense allowances, so you can be rest assured that we operate 100% compliantly.

Contractor Welcome Pack

Crystal Umbrella Services Limited

Your Induction Your account is now setup on our system but before we can commence processing payments we have to complete your registration process by issuing you with an employment contract which requires your signature and the collection of a few documents, required by law, to ensure we verify your details. To complete the above and to also uphold our commitment to you as your employer, we arrange to personally visit each and every new worker on-site at your work place. This enables you to sign our contract under witness; verify your identification without you having the added administration of copying and posting it to us, and it also prevents important documents going missing in the post. Our visit also allows us to complete a Health & Safety spot-check to ensure your work environment is up to standard and that you are aware of the on-site Health & Safety policies and procedures. This ensures we comply to the obligations within our contract to the Agency/End Client. Our visit will be arranged with you, where possible to be completed within the first 7 days of you commencing your contract start date. Our visit should only take a matter of 10-15 minutes of your time. On the day your induction is booked you will need to have 1 document from each of the following categories. 1.

Your identity •

2.

Your right to work in the UK • •

3.

2

UK Passport, Passport from a Country in the EEA (European Economic Area) Official Visa / Work Permit valid for the period of your contract

Your Address (these must be for the same address as you reside in) • •

4.

UK Passport, Passport from a Country in the EEA (European Economic Area)

Utility Bill dated within the last 3 months. (Mobile Phone bills are not allowed) A document from a government department DLA, DWP, HMRC & Home Office etc

Your previous employment • P45 • P46 (We will provide this for you)

The above are the most common documents used, however if you cannot supply an element of ID / proof from each of the 4 categories above, please refer to the full list of allowed documents accompanying this welcome pack entitled Induction Document List or contact your Personal Assistant. Why P45’s are important To verify your previous employment we require parts 2 and 3 of your original P45 issued by your previous employer. This will allow us to setup our payroll system with the correct levels of Tax and NIC’s you have paid so far in this tax period; placing you on the correct tax code in order to ensure you pay the correct levels of Tax.

Note!

A P46 is a manual way of identifying your correct levels of Tax and NIC’s you have paid, it must be sent by us to HMRC for verification. This can result in a short delay in getting you placed on the correct tax code. Please ask your Personal Assistant for more If you do not have a P45, we will require you to complete a P46 during your information if you have and concerns. induction to prevent any delays in placing you on the correct tax code. If we cannot complete your induction before your first payment is due for processing, we will issue all the required documents to you for signature by post. We will then arrange a retrospective induction meeting to verify these documents at a later date. If this is not completed, this could result in your payments being put on hold. Important In order to speed up the invoicing process we will raise invoices to your Client before your induction is completed. However, if payments are received by your Agency prior to completion of the induction, or we have not received the above documents and contract then we cannot process or transfer any payments to you, as we are bound by law to collect the above information before making any form of payment.

Your Contract of Employment Along with the above documents, one copy of the enclosed Crystal Umbrella Contracts of Employment will require signing by you and returning. Please keep the additional copy for your records. This contract is written to give you all the benefits associated with being a fully employed staff member, whilst retaining your “Flexible Employee” status. This allows you to move from one assignment to another whilst retaining the benefits of employment. You will either need to sign a copy at the induction meeting or return a copy to us if you receive it by post. Opting Out The Crystal Umbrella employment contract “Opts Out” of the European Working Time Directive and when you sign it you agree that you will be in control of the number of hours you work over and above your contracted hours. If you were to “Opt In”; using a service such as Crystal Umbrella would be compromised as you would be forced to follow the European guidelines on the number of hours you are allowed to work. This would make you less flexible and available to work as your Client required. Opting In would mean you are limited to the number of hours you can work and this could affect the operation of your assignment. If you have any further queries on whether you should Opt In or Out, please contact the New Business Team on 0800 848 8888. Contractor Welcome Pack

Crystal Umbrella Services Limited

What’s in this pack?



4



Crystal Clear Services and Benefits

4



Customer Service Charter

4

Professional Employment Services

5



3

The Contractor’s Solution



Service Overview

5



Payment Processing Terms

5



Timesheets & Timesheet Deadlines

6



Submitting Timesheets and Expenses

7



Online Guide

8



Expenses

9



Crystal Business Expenses

9



Disallowed Expenses

12



Temporary Workplace Rule

12



Managing Business Expenses

13



Pay Advice Explained

14



Holiday Pay

16



Crystal Clear Contribution Structure 17



CHAPS

17



Refer a Friend

17



Financial Advice and Support

18



Health and Safety Policy

19



Contact Details

21

Contractor Welcome Pack

Crystal Umbrella Services Limited

The Contractor’s Solution Crystal Clear Services & Benefits We have designed our service so that the processes involved make life easier and simpler for you. For a low fixed admin contribution you can look forward to receiving: Invaluable Services »

Dedicated account management by your Personal Assistant offering the highest standards of customer service

»

A prompt professional payment service which includes a web based facility to load timesheets, process contracts, invoices, payroll and expenses - all accessed via our Contractor portal anywhere with an Internet connection

»

Full offline services for all those without Internet access or for those who prefer that personal touch

»

Prompt confirmation of pay transactions via SMS

»

Market wide access to Health, Wealth and Happiness products and services via ERL Financial Services Ltd

Fantastic Benefits

4

»

No set up costs, no leaver’s fee, no hidden costs

»

Clear expense policy to help maximise your expenses

»

Daily payment cycle enabling us to process and deliver funds within 2-3 working days of receipt of funds from your Client

»

Professional Insurance Package with cover up to: £1m Professional Indemnity; £10m Employers + Employee Liability and £2m Public Liability. We also offer an additional £1m Professional Indemnity cover for those working air-side within the aviation industry at no extra cost.

»

Fully compliant contracts of employment, giving you clear employment benefits

»

Free financial advice and bespoke Contractor financial services including: mortgages, pensions and life assurance via our independent financial consultants.

Customer Service Charter In addition to our service guarantees we also abide by a set Customer Service Charter which clearly outlines our commitment to you as the customer. Crystal Umbrella are committed to providing only the highest level of customer service, we believe that the dedicated, personal service we offer each and every Contractor is what sets us apart from our competitors. Ethical Responsibilities »

We endeavour to act with professional integrity and honour our commitments to you at all times.

»

We endeavour to take all necessary precautions to keep your personal data safe and secure.

»

We endeavour never to share, sell, transfer or exchange any entrusted data with any third party without your consent.

»

We endeavour to maintain absolute confidentiality of our working relationship with you.

Personal Commitments »

We endeavour to strive to be professional, prompt and courteous at all times.

»

We endeavour to know & understand your individual circumstances, supplying accurate, clear and timely information.

»

We endeavour to always strive to explain things clearly and take as much time as necessary to help if you feel an issue is too technical.

»

We endeavour to welcome your feedback, suggestions and ideas, as this is critical to our continuing success and is necessary to innovate and continually improve our service to you.

»

We endeavour to acknowledge all customer comments and complaints immediately and if not resolved immediately we will guarantee to respond in writing within 3 days.

Contractor Welcome Pack

Crystal Umbrella Services Limited

Professional Employment Services Service Overview Now that you have chosen to join Crystal Umbrella, here is how you can expect us to work on your behalf. As soon as funds are received from your Agency or Client, we will firstly match these to your supplied timesheet before allocating them to your Crystal account. Once received and allocated, all funds are processed, taking into account any expenses, deductions or allowances that may apply. The processed funds will then be transferred into your nominated account, with the whole procedure completed in just 2-3 working days. As your employer we will of course calculate your tax and NI contributions on a PAYE basis and fulfil our obligation by making payments to HMRC for these liabilities. We also factor in any tax relief for allowable expenses as well as calculating any tax benefits you may be entitled to. To keep you informed, you will receive a detailed Pay Advice for each salary period (weekly or monthly). This is usually supplied as a hard copy in the post and should arrive within a day or two of payment being made. This will show your final take home pay following statutory deductions such as the levels of tax and NI you have paid, as well as details of any additional payments and benefits such as pension contributions, expense claims and childcare vouchers etc. SMS text alerts are also sent on the day your payment is processed and you will receive this at least 1 day before the funds are available in your account. The text will contain your exact net pay and the date it will be available in your account so you are not left wondering. SMS alerts are part of the service and carry no additional cost. Our service is designed so that you are paid promptly and accurately. All you have to do is simply submit your timesheet and expenses, and accompanying receipts, within the set deadlines, leaving the rest to us.

The Crystal Payment Process

You

SMS Alert received detailing net pay and paydate

Cleared funds received in your bank account

Tax, NI & expenses calculated, payroll completed

Payment transferred to bank account by BACS

Pay Advice received

Self Bill

Crystal

5

Submit Timesheets to Agency & Crystal j

Invoice raised & sent to Agency / Client k

Agency / Client pay Crystal

Funds clear, payment matched to Contractor timesheet & allocated l

j If your Agency is a member of our Crystal Express service, you will only need to submit a timesheet to your Agency and NOT to Crystal. k Crystal Umbrella are not required to invoice agencies that operate a self bill process as they release payment upon you submitting your timesheet to them. l Subject to Agency payment terms

Payment Processing Timeframes We have set processing timeframes so that you know what day funds are processed according to when either a remittance / funds are received from your Agency / Client: Funds or Remittance received: After 5:30pm on:

But before 5:30pm on:

Processed:

Funds with you:

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Friday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Monday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Tuesday

Thursday

Friday

Monday

Wednesday

Friday

Monday

Tuesday

Thursday

Contractor Welcome Pack

Crystal Umbrella Services Limited

Timesheets Being at the start of the payment process and the most crucial, receiving accurate and timely timesheets is of the utmost importance. Unlike many umbrella companies Crystal Umbrella do not force you to submit your timesheets using one particular method. We offer a choice of methods to get your timesheet to us, enabling you to choose the best suited method to your particular circumstances. However, the most effective and quickest way is online. When you submit your time and expense claims via the Web Portal, you trigger an automated invoice and payment process. Therefore, submitting this information on or off-line, within our set deadlines is very important. Your Agency will usually advise you what date to submit your timesheets in time to meet their deadlines, however, for us to meet your Agency/Client invoicing deadlines we will need this information earlier. Your Personal Assistant will guide you through the most suited process for you so that you are fully aware.

Timesheet Deadlines We have set timesheet deadlines so that you know invoices will be raised according to when you submit your timesheets. These deadlines are the same for both Online and Offline timesheets and are as follows: Timesheet submitted:

6

After 3pm on:

But before 3pm on:

Invoices Raised on:

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Thursday

Friday

Monday

Friday

Monday

Tuesday

Timesheet Process

You Submit Timesheet information via one of the following methods: j » Online Submission via www.crystalumbrella.com » Emailed Electronic (Excel) Timesheet k

Crystal

All timesheet information received within the set processing deadlines (on page 5) will be processed within 12 hours

» Faxed Agency Timesheet

When you submit your timesheet, don’t forget to claim any relevant expenses and submit any required receipts for that period all at the same time! l

An SMS alert m is sent to your mobile detailing your Net pay amount and the date it will be available in your account

A hard copy Pay Advice is posted out to you on the day of processing

j k l m n

An invoice matching the timesheet information & rechargeable expenses will be raised and forwarded to your Agency / Client by their chosen method.

Only when we receive funds or a valid notification (remit) n of when funds are to arrive into the Crystal account, will we begin processing your expenses and payment.

Once processed we transfer the payment to your nominated bank account by BACS unless a CHAPS payment has been requested.

A detailed process chart covering each claiming method can be found later in this guide Where you do not have a standard Agency timesheet, we can supply an excel or manual timesheet for completion. Failure to do this may result in your payment being processed without expenses, resulting in a lower payment to you. SMS alerts are an optional FREE service which require a valid mobile contact number. This must be a valid confirmation of transfer of funds.

Contractor Welcome Pack

Crystal Umbrella Services Limited

Submitting Timesheet & Expense Claims To keep administration to a minimum and to offer one of the fastest payment cycles available Crystal Umbrella have invested heavily in a fully managed online web portal where you can manage your account in full wherever you have Internet access, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and in real time. The major benefit of using online submission is that it is accurate, efficient and easy to use; in a matter of a few clicks you can submit your time, related business expenses and upload any required receipts or evidence of purchase all in one go. You can even attach a signed timesheet, should your Agency require it to be sent to them along with our invoice. So that means; No:  Form filling  Faxing or emails  Printing  Manual calculations  Posting or stamps required  Lost documents Your time and expense claim is instantly transferred to the Accounts Team for validation and processing; on the next page you will find a flow diagram of the simple steps required. As well as submitting time and expense claims you can also carry out many other functions via the Web Portal that save you time, effort and unnecessary administration, whilst giving you the flexibility to manage your account at times that suit you. Online Functions Here is a list of all the functions you can carry out online 

7

Manage Profile •

Update contact details; address, telephone and e-mail addresses

•

Upload documents; proof of address, ID, contracts.



Submit time and expense claims, including rechargeable expenses



Upload new Contracts & Extensions



View all historic Time & Expense claims



Upload receipts for expense claims already submitted



View Invoices in “real time”



View Payments in “real time”



View, download, print or save Employee and Contract specific correspondence



•

Employee Contract

•

Agency Contracts

•

Assignment Schedules

View, download, print or save company wide documentation and literature •

“How to” guides

•

Fact Sheets

•

Employee Handbook

•

Health & Safety Policy

•

HMRC Literature



Review reminders set by your PA



Send written queries directly to your PA



Password management

Note! Remember it is important to keep time and expense claims together with any relevant receipts related to that claim. So when you create a time and expense claim online, have your receipts ready to upload with it. If you cannot upload your receipts, and you wish to send them in manually, ensure you write a short note in the cell provided next to the expense claim, as to when and how, you plan on sending in the receipts. For example “5 days parking receipts faxed” This will ensure that your expenses are never delayed in being processed and are processed along with the correct payment.

The Crystal Umbrella web portal has been designed to be user friendly, however, if you have difficulty completing any of the tasks above, we have created a series of Video Tutorials on how to complete many of the common tasks which can be found by clicking on this link www.crystalumbrella.com/tutorial1.php Your Personal Assistant will also have introduced you to the overall functionality of the service, and will contact you to walk through your first timesheet entry. Alternatively there is a full printed guide available in the ‘document download’ section of the portal. If you do not have an Internet connection to utilise the benefit of the Web Portal please contact your Personal Assistant who will assist you further.

Contractor Welcome Pack

Crystal Umbrella Services Limited

Online Guide The simplest and most efficient way to get timesheet information to Crystal Umbrella is to use the “Online Portal” which can be accessed via www.crystalumbrella.com

Claiming Time & Expenses Online Here is a step by step guide on how to: »

Create Timesheets

»

Create Rechargeable Expenses

»

Create Crystal Business Expenses

»

Save or submit all of the above

You Visit www.crystalumbrella.com and log into the members area known as the “Online Portal”

Select “Create Timesheet” Now you will be directed to the Timesheet Entry screen

If you need any assistance, please contact your Timesheet Entry Screen PA on 0800 848 8888 j » » » »

Select the timesheet frequency “weekly” or “monthly” Select the contract from the list to submit time against Select the Week / Month Ending date from the calendar Click “Enter Timesheet”

Complete Timesheet » » » » »

8 Reviewing a saved Time & Expense Claim before submission will allow you to amend the claim. However, this will not be processed by Crystal Umbrella until submitted

Enter the Time worked for that period Ensure the correct rates of pay are entered Ensure correct pay type “hourly” “daily” are entered Ensure Total is correct Click “Enter Expenses” Complete Rechargeable Expenses k

If you do not have “Rechargeable Expenses” to claim, skip this step and go directly to the “Crystal Business Expenses” by clicking “Continue” if not follow these steps: » Select the type of expense » Enter the rate or amount » Enter the number of units » Ensure the total corresponds to your receipt / statement for the expense » Click “Continue”

Complete Crystal Business Expenses Save Entry saved until reviewed and/or submitted at a later date

Submit l This option will submit your claim to Crystal Umbrella for processing

If you do not have “Crystal Business Expenses” to claim, go straight to the submit/save section, otherwise follow these steps: » Select the type of expense For Mileage, Food & Drink claims simply » Enter the rate or amount

detail the number of miles travelled or numbers of each type of meal being claimed

» Enter the number of units » Ensure the total corresponds to your receipt / statement for the expense » Click “Continue” Submit or Save At this stage you have the option to either submit your time and expenses to Crystal Umbrella for processing or to save what you have input in order to re-visit at a later date and then again either save or submit. This way you can enter weekly time and expenses while fresh in your mind but then submit your claim monthly or to match your Agency / Clients billing frequency.

Upload Before you save or submit your Time & Expense Claim, you now have the choice to Upload any supporting documents, such as: » Authorised Agency Timesheet – for a signed timesheet » Receipts / Tickets – for proof of purchase » Other – any other document that you think supports your claim

j If you select a weekly timesheet you will be charged a weekly admin contribution regardless of Agency payment terms. k Rechargeable expenses are included on the invoice to your Agency, not offset against tax. l Once a claim is submitted, you cannot amend any details. If you have made a mistake or need to amend anything at this point, please contact your PA as soon as possible. Contractor Welcome Pack

Crystal Umbrella Services Limited

Expenses Similar to timesheets, expenses must be claimed in an accurate and timely manner in order to have them processed along with your timesheet and the benefits delivered at the same time as your income. We recommend that all expense claims are completed online and at the same time that you submit your time to avoid delayed or declined expenses. Should you forget to submit your expense claim or miss the payment deadline, we will be unable to re-process your pay to include these expenses. They will, however, be carried forward to your next payment. Certain expenses within our expense policy do not require receipts, however, you are required to retain “proof” (receipt) of the expense for your own records. Dispensations are simply a tool used by large employers to save administration on processing multiple small value receipts. The types of expenses you do not need to submit receipts for are clearly marked within this guide. Expenses which DO NOT require receipts submitting Expenses which DO require receipts submitting

2  2

All original receipts must be retained for your own records

Types of Expenses There are 2 distinct types of business expenses which you can process through your Crystal account; these are Crystal Business Expenses (the most common type) and Rechargeable Expenses (charged direct to your End Client).

Rechargeable Expenses

9

Rechargeable expenses are the costs incurred during your day-to-day business that have been authorised by your end Client or Agency to be reimbursed by them in full. These can include a wide range of things and it is important that all rechargeable expenses have been clearly identified and agreed between you and your end Client or Agency before the start of any contract. As rechargeable expenses are reimbursed to you in full and attract no Tax or NIC’s, it is important not to mix them in with the Crystal Business Expenses whose value are offset against tax and NIC’s. Expenses should be claimed at the same time as you submit your timesheets, as all rechargeable expenses are added to the invoice going to your Agency/ Client for the time you have worked in a given period. If you utilise the Crystal Umbrella “Online Portal” to submit your timesheet information, you are prompted each time for rechargeable expenses. If you do not have any to claim, simply skip the step.

Note! You must be in agreement with your Agency / Client on what rechargeable expenses are and if any can be claimed whilst in contract. If you claim something you are not entitled to, your Agency may reject the entire invoice which will delay your payment being processed.

If you chose to submit your time and expense claims via email, fax or post, you will need to ensure that Rechargeable expenses accompany the relevant timesheet as this type of expense will be added to the invoice going to your Agency / Client for the billed time. So what can you claim? There is no set description or amount of Rechargeable Expenses you can claim, as generally this is a prior agreement between you and your Agency / Client. You should discuss / negotiate what you can claim, if anything, with your Agency / Client prior to starting your contract as any agreement made surrounding this type of expense could affect the rate of pay you are offered to complete the work.

Crystal Business Expenses Crystal Business Expenses are the costs incurred by you in the course of your day-to-day business. Since we pay you through a combination of gross pay and expenses, the level of expenses incurred in undertaking your contract determine how much of this pay is subject to tax and NIC, thus affecting your overall net return on each payment. This type of expense is sometimes known as “Schedule E Expenses” by HMRC or Accountants. Expenses must be claimed at the same time and frequency as you submit your timesheet, so if you submit weekly timesheets, simply claim your expenses for that week at the same time.

Contractor Welcome Pack

Crystal Umbrella Services Limited

Subsistence (Daily Food & Drink)

2 

As a flexible worker and, whilst working at a temporary workplace, you are entitled to claim back any costs associated with food and drink consumed during your working day. As an alternative you may claim an allowance depending on the hours worked at your temporary workplace. Meal Type

Allowance Limit

Time Frame

Breakfast

£4

If you leave home 07:30 or before

Lunch

£6

If you work between 12:00 - 14:00

Evening Meal

£10

If you arrive home after 19:00

Claims are subject to the temporary workplace rule (see page 12). Meals must be purchased for own consumption. Self prepared meals are not claimable.

Unusual work patterns If you work unusual work patterns the same rules apply however, the times are adjusted accordingly to the specific work pattern. For example, if working 8 hours or less you may only claim for lunch; if working 8 - 10 hours you may claim for breakfast and lunch and if working over 10 hours you may claim for full subsistence; breakfast, lunch and evening meal. Mileage

10

2 

All business mileage may be claimed, including travel to and from work and between different sites. The current claimable mileage rates are: Vehicle Type

Up to 10,000 miles per year

10,000 + miles per year

Cycle

20p

20p

Motorcycle

24p

24p

Car

40p

25p

Travel Expenses

You must be the driver of the vehicle to claim mileage expense. All mileage claims include wear and tear therefore actual motor expenses such as Road Tax, insurance, repairs and servicing cannot be claimed. Please note that it is your responsibility to keep track of your annual mileage and claim correctly. Failure to do so could result in an investigation and subsequent underpayment of tax.

2

If you use another form of transport to get to and from your contract such as a Train, Bus, Taxi or Tube etc you can also claim back this cost as an expense, however you will need to supply either a copy of your ticket or proof of purchase such as a receipt. All travel expenses are subject to the “Temporary Workplace Rule” which is detailed on page 12. Air Travel

2

You may claim for expenses incurred when travelling by air when exclusively used for the purpose of your contract, using the lowest fare available. You should always claim in pounds sterling for overseas travel costs. Document the nature of the expense, the sterling equivalent and the exchange rate. Other Travel Associated Costs

Note! If unsure, always ask your PA at Crystal Umbrella for details prior to booking your plane tickets.

2

If you need to pay for parking at your temporary placement, you can offset the cost. If you drive your car to a train station or airport, parking expenses are only paid when no cheaper transport alternative is available. Toll fees and congestion charges incurred for business journeys can be claimed. Non Domiciled Employees

2

There are certain travel expenses that can be claimed ‘tax-free’ to non-domiciled employees that come to the UK to work. However, to claim for any of these expenses all conditions must be satisfied. Detailed receipts are required in all instances.

Contractor Welcome Pack

Crystal Umbrella Services Limited

Employee The cost of unlimited journeys to and from a country outside the UK in order to perform duties of employment in the UK can be claimed. Condition 1 -

the journey ends on or during the period of five years from date of arrival (arrival date to perform duties)

Condition 2 -

the individual has not been in the UK for any purpose during the two years ending the day before the date of arrival OR the employee was not resident in the UK in either of the two tax years preceding the tax year of arrival.

Condition 3 -

the journey is from a country outside the UK that the employee usually resides, and to the UK to perform the duties of the current contract OR the journey is to a country from the UK to return to that country after performing the duties in the UK.

Employee’s spouse and child You may also make a claim for your spouse or children’s travel expenses for up to two journeys each tax year to and from the country outside the UK that you normally live. Condition 1 -

the journey must be between the country outside the UK that the employee normally lives and in a place in the UK.

Condition 2 -

the employee must be in the UK for a continuous period of at least 60 days for the purpose of performing the duties of employment.

Condition 3 -

the spouse or child must either accompany the employee at the start of the 60 day period OR visit the employee during that period OR return to a country that the employee normally visits after visiting or accompanying the employee.

Overnight Accommodation

2

Hotel / B&B

11

You can claim for reasonable accommodation expenses when overnight stays are required to allow you to undertake the work for the contract. This also applies to overseas accommodation, although if there is any element of private use (for example holiday) within this period, the expense would be applied on a pro rata basis. Copies of valid receipts must be provided to claim for these costs. Proof of overnight stay at a location other than correspondence address is required, Tips on claiming expenses including the period/length of stay that was charged for. Accommodation and rent costs can only be claimed for the days worked and may be proportioned accordingly. Claims are subject to the temporary workplace rule. If you are staying at a hotel or a B&B, the cost for the room (excluding meals, room service and beverages) will be offset. Friends & Family

2

If you wish to stay with friends or family instead of other accommodation, you may claim a reduced rate of £80 per week. A letter of proof of stay will be required from the friend or family member detailing the dates stayed. Please contact your Personal Assistant for further information before agreeing a stay. Other Business Expenses Telephone

2

Business related telephone calls from a landline are claimable with a copy of an itemised bill; however line rental cannot be claimed unless there is genuine business need for a second line at home which is used exclusively for business. Similarly, mobile phone calls are claimable if used for business reasons. All business phone calls claimed must be highlighted on an itemised bill and the total added to your expense form/entered online. Internet/Fax

2

As it is generally not possible to separate business and private use, Internet costs are not an allowable expense. Fax call charges are claimable if they are solely used for business purposes. Postage

2

To ensure your Crystal Umbrella Business Expenses are processed promptly, you need to make sure that: • All claims are for expenses incurred wholly and exclusively in performing your business duties • You submit expenses at the same frequency and time as your timesheet •

You don’t submit any travel and subsistence related claims for any one place you have worked, or know you will work, for more than 24 consecutive months

•

You always submit the necessary documentation associated with any particular claim, such as a fully completed expense form (if offline) and receipts for items which require them

• You never duplicate items by attempting to claim them through both Crystal Business and Rechargeable expenses • Do not claim for expenses incurred before joining Crystal Umbrella

You can claim the costs of business-related postage. This also includes the postage used to get any form of documentation to Crystal Umbrella.

Contractor Welcome Pack

Crystal Umbrella Services Limited

Stationery

2

You can claim the costs of general stationery including pens, paper and other office consumables. You may also be able to claim back other expenses if they are incurred for business purposes and are required to fulfil the work in hand, please contact your Personal Assistant for further information.

2

Training

The costs of training and seminars may be offset if they are necessary for your specific contract. Courses may be allowable when updating skills but not when learning new ones. Degrees are not an expense that can be offset. Please note that individual modules may be reimbursed by the Client as a rechargeable expense, if relevant to the contract. Please see “Rechargeable Expenses” for further details on page 9. Memberships and Subscriptions

2

Professional association memberships can be claimed, providing that the professional body is on the list approved by HMRC. (Please see www.hmrc.gov.uk/list3 for the full list). Subscriptions to trade journals and magazines are not claimable. Protective Clothing

2

A claim can only be made for the cost of specialist protective clothing that you are required to wear because of the nature of your work. This clothing must not be suitable for everyday wear outside your working environment. Pensions Only claims for contributions to our stakeholder scheme may be made. However, the contribution must be a gross payment made by us, as your employer. We classify your pension as a salary sacrifice, then reduce your income by the amount to be contributed, before it is subject to deductions.

12

Pensions are not to be added to your expense form; they will be applied automatically once your regular contribution into our stakeholder scheme has been agreed. For more information on the Crystal Umbrella pension scheme, please contact your Personal Assistant or [email protected] for further information.

Disallowed Expenses If there is any discrepancy with your expense claim (missing receipts or insufficient information) the specific expense will be disallowed and your Personal Assistant will contact you with information on why the expense has been disallowed. Any expenses disallowed due to missing receipts must be re-submitted on your following expense form. Missed expenses will be rolled over to your next payment. Common Disallowed Expenses Examples of common disallowed expenses include; »

Private health insurance

»

Computer equipment

»

Office furniture

»

Motor expenses

»

Eyewear (glasses/contact lenses)

This list is not exhaustive, but if you are in doubt about any of the expenses you wish to claim, please contact your Personal Assistant.

Temporary Workplace Rule

(often referred to as the 24 month rule)

All travel claims, plus allowable accommodation and subsistence expense claims, are subject to the temporary workplace rule. This allows you, if you are a home-based worker, to claim for these expenses unless you expect to, or know you will, be in the same location for a period of 24 months or more. If less than 40% of your working time is spent at one site, a claim for expenses can be made regardless of the length of your engagement at that particular location.

Contractor Welcome Pack

Crystal Umbrella Services Limited

Managing business expenses to maximise your future benefits Should you ever need to make a large expense claim or one greater than your next due invoice amount, we may have to spread it out over several payroll runs. The reason for this is that after your claim has been processed, your tax and NI liability for that month could be reduced to zero. This would then affect your ability to claim future benefits, such as your state pension. To avoid this happening, Crystal trys to ensure that minimum NI contributions are always paid on your behalf. You do not lose the expenses that you submit as they will be held and rolled over so you continue to benefit. To help us complete this efficiently, there are a few tips you can follow: 1.

Never submit expenses amounting to more than 80% of the value of your invoice (without VAT) - Example - invoice total = £500, the expense claim for this period should not be more than £400 in value

2.

If you have a large expense amount which is greater than your next invoice value, contact your PA for further advice. They can discuss ways of splitting the expenses to benefit you across a number of weeks.

3.

If you have missed putting in a week’s expense and wish it to be processed the following week, again contact your PA before submitting it, so we can work out what benefits you the most (this will not be possible on your final payment as expenses cannot be carried over).

When a contract ends, we will use the highest amount of available Note! business expenses against your last payment. Any remaining expense value, where the claim is part used will be held over for Where we don’t use all your expenses allowance on one your next or future contracts. payroll run, we will automatically carry any unused amounts forward to the next available payroll with a smaller expense value. You do not lose the value of the expenses.

13

Expenses Terminology Business purpose -

expenses can only be claimed whilst working on business. Costs and mileage expenses arising from personal travel cannot be claimed for as a business expense.

Home -

this is where you begin your journey to work, either your permanent residence, or a relative’s home.

Work

this is your predominant place(s) of work that your contract specifies.

-

Disclaimer Expense claims found to be false or not wholly and exclusively for business purposes, could lead to expenses being disallowed. You also need to be aware that you would be personally responsible for any underpayment of tax or NI resulting from an invalid claim. Reimbursement of these underpayments would be due immediately and collected at the first opportunity. Our approach to expense claims is one whereby an expense item should be allowed if it is a legitimate cost incurred in undertaking your contract and if you feel confident and comfortable justifying this to one of HMRC’s officers.

Contractor Welcome Pack

Crystal Umbrella Services Limited

Your Pay Advice Explained The Crystal Umbrella Pay Advice has been designed to give you a crystal clear view of how your income is calculated from each invoice total received from your Agency / Client. Each Pay Advice contains the entire calculation and should account for every penny received. Your pay is split into 2 elements: Basic & Commission This is the value of your invoice (excluding VAT) after deducting the following costs which are classed as tax free elements: »

Rechargeable Expenses

»

Crystal Umbrella Business Expenses

»

Crystal Umbrella Admin Contribution

»

Additional Required costs (to cover Employers NIC and other statutory requirements)

»

Plus any “Optional Employee Deductions” such as Childcare Vouchers, Salary Sacrifice Pension & GAYE etc

Tax and Employee NIC’s would then be deducted from the remaining funds. Tax and NI contributions will be deducted from Basic, Commission and Holiday Pay. The element of your pay (equal to your expenses) that was offset would then be added to the above, giving you your net pay (take home pay). Therefore in the example below;

14



Basic and Commission + Holiday Pay - Tax and NI + Expenses

£ 549.29 £ 66.30 £ 121.01 £ 337.65



Net Pay

£ 832.23

Holiday Pay This is calculated at 10.77% of the “Basic & Commission” elements above. The next page gives an illustration of how the payment notice itself is broken down, including explanations of all the relevant headings and sections.

Contractor Welcome Pack

Crystal Umbrella Services Limited

Crystal Umbrella Services - Payment Notice Explained

Our reference number for you

Crystal Income & Related Costs

Invoice Total – This is the amount invoiced to the client in that period. It will be the sum of time and rechargeable expenses submitted. Recharged Expenses - This is the amount of expenses that we have charged on to the end client on your behalf. This is not taxable and offset against the expense claim. Crystal Income & Relat Expense Claim – This should equal the amount of expenses you have claimed to be offset against the invoice amount. Invoiced Total This reduces the taxable basic. - Recharged Expenses - Expense Claim Admin. Contribution – This is retained by us out of the invoiced amount to cover our administration costs. - Admin Contribution (see bre This is calculated at variable/fixed basis of the invoiced amount (not including recharged expenses). For breakdown see below. - Pension Pension - This is the pension contribution you have asked us to deduct from you and your invoiced amount (treated as salary sacrifice). - Childcare Vouchers A weekly deduction is made per payment period - Additional Required Costs Childcare Vouchers - The amount deducted from you and your taxable income to be paid out to you - Holiday Pay in vouchers for childcare. This is deducted as gross and therefore offers you a tax saving. Profit Additional Required Costs – These are the additional required costs that we incur (Employer’s National Insurance & statutory payments) and this amount is taken from our invoiced amount as part of the calculation to arrive at the commission amounts payable to you.* Holiday Pay - See ‘Payments’ for explanation Profit - This is the invoice total less all the above and is then used to calculate your basic pay and commission.

The date we processed your pay. Monies will be visible in your bank account 2-3 working days later. Your National Insurance number This is very important and needs to be correct. If for any reason it is wrong please inform us immediately of the correct one.

Private & Confidential - Addressee only Mr. P Mann 999 Letsbe Avenue Cuffley Herts

Payments

EN5 4WW

15

Name

Ref.

Mr. P Mann

1560

Process Date

Tax Period

17/10/2008

28 Weekly

Period

N.I. Number

PC999555A YTD

Amount

Crystal Income & Related Costs Invoiced Total - Recharged Expenses - Expense Claim - Admin Contribution (see breakdown) - Pension - Childcare Vouchers - Additional Required Costs - Holiday Pay

Admin Admin Refund Advance

1,027.65 127.65 210.00 22.50 0.00 0.00 51.91 66.30

22.50 0.00 0.00

1,027.65 127.65 210.00 22.50 0.00 0.00 57.91 66.30

549.19

Profit Crystal Umbrella Services Ltd (Fixed)

PAYE Ref:

Basic & Commission – This is your basic salary plus the amount payable to you as commission calculated based on the profit Payments arising from your services on Assignment. This figure is taxable. Basic & Commission Holiday Pay – This is calculated as a percentage of Holiday Pay the taxable basic and covers any holiday pay Gross Pay entitlement that would have been accruable based on the taxable gross. This is also taxable. Statutory Sick Pay Statutory Sick Pay & Maternity/Paternity Pay Maternity/Paternity Pay These are statutory payments and would have Gross for Tax been advised to us from HM Revenue & Customs. You would also have received a notification from Total Expenses them. Gross for Tax - This represents the total amount taxable for the period. Total Expenses - This should represent the total expenses amount claimed.

549.19 321 / UA17911

Represents the amount for the specific period Payments

Period

YTD

Deductions

Basic & Commission Holiday Pay

549.19 66.30

549.19 66.30

*Give As You Earn

Gross Pay Statutory Sick Pay Maternity/Paternity Pay

615.59 0.00 0.00

615.59 0.00 0.00

Gross for Tax Total Expenses

615.59 337.65

615.59 337.65

PAYE Tax Employee NI Student Loan Attachments Re-run Adjustment Adjustments

Tax code:

603L W1/M1

Payable by Bank Transfer

Period

YTD

0.00 76.40 44.61 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

Net Pay

0.00

832.23

Deductions Give As You Earn - The amount deducted from you and your taxable income to be paid out as a charitable donation. Although this appears in the deductions section, it is deducted at gross and offers you a tax saving. *Give As You Earn PAYE Tax - This is the amount of tax you have paid within the period. This is charged on the taxable PAYE Tax basic, commission and holiday pay. Employee NI Employee NI - The amount of National Insurance Student Loan paid. This is charged on the taxable basic, Attachments commission and holiday pay. Re-run Adjustment Student Loan - The amount of student loan that you Adjustments have re-paid. Attachments - A deduction that would have been advised to us from the relevant authority. Re-run Adjustment - A net deduction form a previous payment. Adjustments - Deductions made from your payment in relation to the recovery of advance payments made previously. Deductions

Adjustments

Admin Admin Refund Advance

Represents the cumulative amount for the tax year to date

76.40 44.61 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

22.50 0.00 0.00

+ Admin - This is the actual contribution for the period paid on a fixed/variable basis. + Admin Refund - This could represent a refund of an admin contribution + Advance - This will represent either a CHAPS or advance payment. (Admin Contribution = admin + advance - admin refund) + Pre tax deductions

Net Pay - This is the actual amount that gets put into your bank account after all deductions. This will happen 2-3 working days after your payment has been processed.

* How is the commission calculated? Although you are our employee and will be treated as such for tax and National Insurance purposes, you are still contracting. We only receive an amount as payment from your Agency/Client equal to the applicable contract charge out rate, and this rate is usually increased from a PAYE equivalent to include employers National Insurance and holiday pay. We have to deduct all our costs from this and pay tax/NI contributions over to HM Revenue & Customs in the normal way. These costs are not deducted from you but from the amount that we are invoicing the Agency/Client as part of the commission calculation. Images shown are for illustration purposes only and not an exact representation of your payslip

Contractor Welcome Pack

Crystal Umbrella Services Limited

Holiday Pay Some Umbrella Companies deduct holiday pay automatically from your salary and keep it on your behalf; they will often only pay you your entitlement if you ask for it. Obviously, the only advantage that this brings is one of earning interest for the company, not for you. Crystal Umbrella’s policy is to NOT hold back any of your money, therefore, your holiday pay is not deducted from you at any time. Most workers are entitled by law to a minimum of 24 days paid holiday a year. This includes part time workers and those who are on a fixed term contract. We recommend that out of your gross pay you should deduct, or at least make provision for, days you wish to take as paid holidays, as your Client will not pay for these when you are contracting. Here at Crystal Umbrella, the payment summary we provide (see diagram) shows a recommended amount of holiday pay that you should consider saving each time you are paid. This then provides you with the equivalent amount of holiday pay as a permanently employed person. We recommend that you take your holiday entitlement; please note that when you do, you will have already received payment for these periods, and will not receive any additional income whilst you are away from work. Name

Ref.

Mr. P Mann

1560

Process Date

Tax Period

17/10/2008

28 Weekly

Period

N.I. Number

PC999555A YTD

Amount

Crystal Income & Related Costs Invoiced Total - Recharged Expenses - Expense Claim Admin - Admin Contribution (see breakdown) Admin Refund Advance - Pension - Childcare Vouchers - Additional Required Costs - Holiday Pay

22.50 0.00 0.00

Profit

16

Crystal Umbrella Services Ltd (Fixed) Payments

Period

1,027.65 127.65 210.00 22.50 0.00 0.00 51.91 66.30

1,027.65 127.65 210.00 22.50 0.00 0.00 57.91 66.30

549.29

549.29

PAYE Ref: YTD

Deductions

Basic & Commission Holiday Pay

549.29 66.30

549.29 66.30

*Give As You Earn

Gross Pay Statutory Sick Pay Maternity/Paternity Pay

615.59 0.00 0.00

615.59 0.00 0.00

Gross for Tax Total Expenses

615.59 337.65

615.59 337.65

PAYE Tax Employee NI Student Loan Attachments Re-run Adjustment Adjustments

Tax code: 603L W1/M1

Payable by Bank Transfer

321 / UA17911 Period

YTD

0.00 76.40 44.61 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

Net Pay

0.00 76.40 44.61 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

832.23

Adjustments

Your holiday pay is calculated on each payment you receive and is derived by applying a fixed percentage to your gross pay. This fixed percentage is based on the fraction 28/260 (28 being the minimum number of holiday days given in a year and 260 being the average number of working days in the year). »

28/260 = 10.77%

You will therefore see in the above example that in this payment summary provided to Mr. Mann, we have outlined a recommended amount for the payment period to be retained as holiday pay of £66.30. Mr. Mann should put this amount away to cover the period he takes as holiday in the future and for which he will not be paid when that time arises. Holiday Pay = Gross Pay x 10.77%

615.59 x 10.77% = £66.30

Contractor Welcome Pack

Crystal Umbrella Services Limited

Crystal Clear Contribution Structure Crystal Umbrella appreciates that when you work for yourself its vital that you are always in control of your business outgoings. Therefore our structure is designed to be simple and transparent, but highly competitive. You can choose from either weekly or monthly processing, however this may be governed by the frequency of your Agency / Client’s own payment cycle and deadlines. Our contribution starts from just £27.50 per week which covers all of our administration costs. Our customer pledge to cost efficiency also means that you do not pay you a penny while you are “Out of contract”, this covers annual holidays and any other times when you do not submit timesheets. For same day CHAPS payments, an additional contribution is required, but the good news is that all of our contributions are eligible for tax relief, with the reductions increasing depending on what level of tax you pay. The following table illustrates the tax saving on our standard admin contributions and shows the actual cost to you.

Pay Frequency



17



Gross (Detailed on Pay Advice)

Actual Net (After relief at 20%)

Actual Net (After relief at 40%)



Weekly

£27.50

£16.82

£14.39



Monthly

£85.00

£52.00

£44.46

Terminology Admin Contribution -

CHAPS Payments

Deducted from your pay to cover all admin and the processing of your timesheet, expenses and pay (Same Day Payment Transfers)

As standard Crystal Umbrella will transfer all monies to your nominated bank account via BACS transfer, which takes 2-3 working days. However, in addition to the admin Note! contribution, we can arrange a CHAPS payment of £20 so that funds are in your Our admin contribution is processed with account the very same day. tax relief so although the gross amount In order for us to process your request for a CHAPS payment, it’s important that all of £20 for CHAPS shows on your Pay requests are made directly to your Personal Assistant before 11am on the day your Advice, the actual cost to you would be payment is processed, as once a BACS payment has been made we are unable to less. recall it. If your bank or building society do not accept CHAP’s as a method of payment then Crystal Umbrella cannot be held responsible for the payment not being made. Please let us know as soon as possible if your bank/building society needs additional information from us to enable CHAP’s payments to be made.

Refer a Friend Scheme Over 75% of people who work with Crystal Umbrella have been referred to us by a friend or colleague. We pride ourselves on a dedicated personal service which people find both refreshing and unique. Whenever an existing member refers a new colleague or friend to use Crystal Umbrella we will say a big thank you by offering you a reward for your recommendation by way of an iPod shuffle or £35 in Love to Shop vouchers. However, this is not paid into your holiday fund like some other Umbrella Companies do. (Terms and conditions apply) To refer a colleague or friend visit www.crystalumbrella.com/refer_a_friend.php, contact your PA or email their name and number to [email protected]. Do not forget to include your name and number, so you get your just rewards!

Contractor Welcome Pack

Crystal Umbrella Services Limited

Financial Advice & Support As a member of Crystal Umbrella you have the major benefit of instant access to some of the best financial advice possible. Crystal Umbrella recommends ERL Consultancy Ltd, a dedicated team of Independent Financial Advisors (IFA’s) who are there to support you in many areas both inside and outside of your contracting life. In an uncertain world, you never know what is around the corner, and as a Contractor, you will only have access to statutory sick pay to rely on in order to pay monthly bills whilst not working due to sickness. ERL are truly independent and have access on your behalf to pension, financial protection and investment products and can also offer cover to protect your finances against accident and sickness which could prevent you from carrying out your normal duties. Health »

Private Healthcare

»

Health Savings Scheme (HSA) Plans

»

Critical Illness cover

»

Accident & Sickness cover

»

Income Protection Plans

Wealth

18

»

Exclusive Contractor Mortgage deals

»

Specialist Mortgages

»

Secured Lending

»

Full Wealth Management Service

»

Inheritance Tax Planning

»

Risk Management

»

Offshore Investments

Happiness »

Crystal Umbrella Stakeholder Friendly Group Personal Pension Scheme

»

Full Pension Planning Service

»

Pension Transfer Services

»

Life Assurance – Lump Sum & Monthly Benefit Schemes

»

Property Purchase Schemes

»

Will Writing

Remember ERL have full market access to numerous products so the right solution can be found for your individual needs. YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE ERL Consultancy Ltd usually charge a fee for mortgage advice, however this will be dependent on your circumstances. The typical fee is £295. Crystal Umbrella are introducers to ERL Consultancy Ltd. ERL Consultancy Ltd is an Appointed Representative of Personal Touch Financial Services Ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. The Financial Services Authority does not regulate Will Writing or IHT Planning.

Contractor Welcome Pack

Crystal Umbrella Services Limited

Health and Safety Policy As an employer Crystal Umbrella is conscious of its obligations to ensure that its employees are aware of the health and safety requirement within the workplace. Whilst employed through Crystal Umbrella you will from time to time be working at Client sites. It is of utmost importance that you are aware of any site-specific Health & Safety procedures otherwise you may be at risk. Your direct line manager or suitable equivalent should be able to provide you with a copy of their health and safety policy. The Company’s health and safety policy is designed to promote and encourage the highest standards of health and safety at work in all of its operations. It is the duty of the Company and the Company undertakes to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of its employees at work. It is the Company’s policy to make sure that health and safety provision is made for the employees it supplies to Clients and End Users. In order to achieve this, it is necessary to obtain the full support from every employee of the Company as well as all Clients and End Users. The Company undertakes to:

19

»

Request employees, Clients and End Users to co-operate with the Company and with each other in order to promote safety and reduce hazards;

»

Request that Clients and End Users provide details of specialist skills or qualifications required to carry out any particular assignment together with relevant health and safety information;

»

Pass to employees all information provided by the Client and/or End User on health and safety issues connected with the assignment;

»

Require employees to adhere to Client’s and End User’s Health & Safety Policies at all times whilst on assignment.

You have a duty to: »

Comply with all safety instructions and directions issued by the Company and take reasonable care for your own health and safety and the health and safety of other people who may be affected by your actions;

»

Assess risks to your own health and safety to which you are exposed at work;

»

Stop working immediately if you consider that your working environment is unsafe and immediately report the matter to the Client or End User, whichever is appropriate, and the Company;

»

Work in a safe manner taking all reasonable steps to safeguard your own safety and that of any persons who may be affected by your actions;

»

Report incidents that have or may lead to accident or injury to the Client’s or End User’s health and safety representative and to the Company;

»

Co-operate in any investigation and report on all accidents or incidents that may cause or lead to injury;

»

Report any shortcomings in the Client’s or End User’s arrangements for health and safety to the Company;

»

Co-operate with the Client or End User on health and safety matters and ensure that you observe all health and safety instructions and regulations from the Client or End User;

»

Wear (and request if you consider it necessary) any protective clothing and use any safety equipment that has been provided in order to carry out any assignment;

»

Request a copy of the Client’s or End User’s Health and Safety Policy prior to starting any assignment and ensure that you read and understand such Policy;

»

Observe and comply with the Client’s or the End User’s Health and Safety Policy (whichever is appropriate) at all times.

Any failure to comply with any aspect of the Company’s, the Client’s or the End User’s health and safety procedures, rules or duties or any improper interference with any health and safety equipment will be regarded as misconduct and will be dealt with under the Company’s Disciplinary Procedure. Serious breaches or blatant disregard of health and safety procedures will be regarded as gross misconduct for which the appropriate penalty is summary dismissal. As part of the Crystal Umbrella induction process, you will be expected to advise the Crystal representative if you have any issues or concerns regarding the End Client’s health and safety policies and will be expected to sign to confirm that you have seen those relevant policies.

Contractor Welcome Pack

Crystal Umbrella Services Limited

Clients and End Users have a duty to: »

Treat all of the Company’s employees as they would their own employees for all health and safety matters and ensure that there is a safe system of work at all times;

»

Provide the Company with information on special qualifications or skills which each employee of the Company will need and on special features of work insofar as they are likely to affect the health and safety of the Company’s employees;

»

Co-operate and co-ordinate with the Company’s employees on health and safety matters;

»

Provide the Company’s employees with information on health and safety risks and measures;

»

Make available to the Company’s employees safety equipment and protective clothing as necessary for the job to be undertaken and ensure its use;

»

Tell the Company’s employees the name of their health and safety representative;

»

Record any accidents or injuries in their Accident Record Book and report to the Health & Safety Executive in accordance with current requirements;

»

Assess health and safety risks and record the result of the assessment.

First Aid/Accidents All accidents, no matter how small, must be reported to the designated Client’s or End User’s health and safety representative and to the Company. All accidents and dangerous occurrences must be reported and recorded in the Client’s or End User’s accident book. If you have an accident ensure that you receive first aid treatment immediately. Personal Vehicle & Mobile Phone use On 1 December 2003 the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) (Amendment) (No.4) Regulations 2003/2695 came into force.

20

»

This makes it a criminal offence for drivers to use hand-held mobile phones whilst driving. This law applies to drivers of all motor vehicles and motorcycles.

»

In the course of their duties employees of Crystal Umbrella may be required to use their own vehicle during the working day. It is the responsibility of individual member of staff to ensure that their vehicle is insured to cover business use.

»

Employees of Crystal Umbrella, who use hand-held or hands free mobiles, MUST park safely and legally before making or taking calls whether on private or company business for your own safety.

All employees who are required to drive or use mobile phones as part of their job must follow these guidelines. The Company will not accept responsibility for any offence committed by an employee whilst using their own vehicle or mobile phone. For the full Health & Safety policy please refer to the Employee Handbook available online or direct from HR. If you have any questions regarding The Crystal Umbrella Health and Safety Policy then please contact the HR Department at Crystal Umbrella on 0800 848 8888.

Contractor Welcome Pack

Crystal Umbrella Services Limited

Company Contact Details Here is a list of useful company contact details:

21

Switchboard:

0800 848 8888



01992 512 500

Central Fax:

0845 226 2280

Web:

www.crystalumbrella.com

Address:

Crystal Umbrella Services Limited





Bluecoats House



9 Bluecoats Avenue



Ware Road



Hertford



Herts



SG14 1PB

Company Information Here is some information you may find useful whilst contracting through Crystal Umbrella Company Reg:

6531430

VAT No:

936101253

Tax Office:

HMRC



Southgate House



Stevenage



Herts



SG1 1HL

PAYE Ref:

321 / UA17911



321 / RA17913

Construction Industry Scheme Information CIS (UTR)

32813 27131

CIS (CRN)

6531430

Contractor Welcome Pack