Agency Blacklist – IT Contractor threatened with blacklisting

0
3856
Agency Blacklist for contractors
Agency Blacklist for contractors

Recruitment Agency Blacklist

This article is about an agency threatening to put a contractor on a recruitment agency blacklist. An IT Contractor sent it to us. Has this every happened to you? Do you think that there are agency blacklists?

Last Contract

My last IT contract was working for a large retail bank as a project manager. I had been there 2 years already.

Agent Threatens Blacklist
Agent Threatens Blacklist

At the end of my contract they offered me a 6 month extension. I verbally accepted but which I later turned down because they tried to alter the terms of my contract taking out the clause that allowed me to give notice and essentially tying me into the contract.

They claimed that this was now standard policy and every IT contractor had to comply with this.

Refused to Sign the Contract

When I refused to sign the contract they became really sh*tty, telling me that I had already given a verbal agreement and that there was nothing they could do.

As a compromise I suggested a 1 month rolling contract which I thought was fair but again they refused.

So I told them that I would not sign the new contract. I also informed the programme manager that he would need to start looking for someone else as I would only be around for another month.

He was absolutely livid and contacted the agency and gave them a bollocking but still they would not back down.

Client Not Happy

The agency then called me and said that the client was not happy that I would not sign the new contract and if I did not sign and fax a copy over to them by the end of the day that they would withdraw the offer.

They would also let it be known to other agencies that I had refused a new contract and that I was difficult to deal with and that I had left the client in the lurch. I would be put on an agency blacklist.

Now surely this is illegal, sharing my information with other agencies without my permission is against the data protection act isn‘t it?

Illegal Recruitment Agency Blacklist

So then I asked myself:-

Is there such a thing as an agency blacklist (whether officially or unofficially)? Do agencies share information (legally or illegally)?

Is this just an attempt by the agency to make me tow the line or is there something more sinister at work?

I was out of work for 3 months after that and found it quite difficult to get my current contract. I would hate to think it was because of one agency I had a quarrel with.

Is there an agency blacklist or not?

Ad – Contractor Services

If you think you can benefit from using an umbrella company, try the following:-

Simply Umbrella

Best Umbrella Companies for Oil and Gas Contractors / Freelancers

Best Umbrella Companies for Engineers Contractors

Do you need some professional advice on which umbrella company is right for you? Do you want to get better returns from your Umbrella Company? Fill out the form below to receive expert advice.

For all necessary business insurance, including IR35, try Business Insurance for Contractors

    Your Name (required)

    Your Email (required)

    Your Telephone (required)

    Your Daily Rate (required)

    Please Fill in Answer to Simple Quiz Question

    Comments

    ad