Participating in Community Work with Client

[hairymouse]

My current client organised a day of work in the community, where everyone went and did yard work at care homes for children. ClientCo is happy to pay me and all the other contractors for this day. I went and participated because I am happy to help the community as well, but never planned on charging for the day. Later this week I'll fill in a time sheet with 0 hours claimed for this day.

I was thinking that I could write an email to the agency explaining why I am not charging for this day and that it might be useful in the future as a flag that I am not an employee. Could somebody help me with the contractual language for "I am not charging you for this day because I am not an employee and under my contract I can only charge you for database development work and not doing other random things"

I'd also be happy to hear anyone's thoughts on whether simply not charging for the day is sufficient and if there is anything else I should do retroactively.

Thanks in advance!

[NotAllThere]

Just put zero on the timesheet and bill as normal. If the agency query it, tell them you didn't work that day. No need to confuse them with additional detail.

[northernladuk]

Just put zero on the timesheet and bill as normal. If the agency query it, tell them you didn't work that day. No need to confuse them with additional detail.

Absolutely this. No one else cares about your tax situation/pay but you so making a scene isn't worth the outcome.

IMO though, doing something like this organised by the client and generally carried out by employees is not something a contractor would do. NOT doing it is a better flag than doing it for free. I don't see how doing a bit of charity work, even if you don't bill it is really that much of benefit IR35 wise TBH.

Do as NAT says and just get on.

[hairymouse]

Fair enough, thanks guys.

[BrilloPad]

Do as NAT says and just get on.

Can that ever end well?

[WordIsBond]

I don't actually agree with these guys. The client is expecting you to bill for it. It's not really any of the agent's business. But if you aren't going to do so, I'd let the client know and try to word it in a way that you have something to add to your IR35 dossier. Something like,

'Thank you for the generous invitation to take part in your Community Work Day, even though I am not an employee. It was good to be a part of this charitable activity, and something for which I was glad to donate my time.'

Costs nothing to send something like that. Then when it is not invoiced, they won't be surprised. And if you are ever investigated for IR35, you can say, 'The employees were paid for this day, I wasn't.' It's one of those little things that, if there are enough of them, may add up to a lot, and you want to file them away in case ever needed.