unprofessional conduct and breach of contract
As a consultant, I was offered an IR35-inside contract, but I felt the hourly rate was inappropriate for the job description. However, I needed work, as unemployment tends to affect my mental well-being. I requested a rate increase from Joseph McNulty, but he flatly refused and instead enrolled me in an umbrella company called Sapphirre. Getting my first paycheck was an enormous struggle, taking nearly two months because Tangent, the contracting company, never explained their payment process during onboarding. Their main focus is on how much money they could make from the contract.
It typically takes 15 days from the time a contractor invoices Tangent to receive payment, but Sapphirre recently withheld my payment, claiming I didn’t meet the national minimum wage—despite having been willing to pay me in previous months. This time, they changed their approach, and although I invoiced on October 1st, my payment was stopped.
Sapphirre raised the issue of my hourly rate not meeting the minimum wage, but Tangent was reluctant to increase the rate, despite being legally obligated to do so. Enrolling someone at a rate below the national minimum wage is illegal, and withholding a contractor's payment is also unlawful. I've sought legal advice from the Citizens Advice Bureau regarding this matter.
I would strongly advise contractors and organizations against working with Tangent and Sapphirre. They change procedures monthly, based on their whims, and engage in practices that violate employment laws.