Requests for office-based freelance contractors "worrying"

Date: March 05, 2010

Category: Employment Law, Taxation and Legislation for Contractors

One employer stipulation for freelance contractors to work from the office more has been declared "worrying".

In a letter to ContractorUK, one freelance contractor explained that he received an internal memo stating that remote or home-based working should be restricted to one day a week, with permission sought in advance.

IR35 expert Kate Cottrell, co-founder of Bauer & Cottrell, said this employer-type direction is not helpful.

"Reminders about behaviour and conduct in my opinion do not sit well with the picture of the professional contractor in business on his/her own account," she commented.

Ms Cottrell advised freelance contractors not to let clients raise these issues in the first place and for contractors to remind employers that the key to their success is flexibility.

The Recruitment and Employment Confederation has also highlighted employment law issues this week, calling on all those taking on freelance contractors to scrutinise their policies.

Skills, achievements and competence should be the focus of recruitment, not personal details, Mr Hadley added.

Posted by John Crawley