– You will be recruited for a specific work placement. Although a follow on placement may later be offered to you, Concordia cannot guarantee further work.
– Your contract of employment will be with the farm where you are working, and not directly with Concordia.
– Precise working hours cannot be guaranteed, as much farm work is weather dependent. Adverse or unusual weather conditions may result in a reduction in working hours.
– Overtime hours may be available but are not guaranteed, and not all farms offer overtime.
Payment
It is important to understand that if you work slowly and are unable to reach the piecework rate, your employer is required to make up your wages to the minimum hourly wage. You will be given adequate training and a period of time to get used to the required picking rate (usually 2 weeks). If you consistently miss your targets, you may be asked to leave your placement by your employer. In this eventuality, Concordia cannot guarantee a new placement elsewhere.
If your total earnings for the tax year are equivalent to £12, 500 or less, you will not be liable for tax. If you earn over £12,500, you pay tax on all earnings above this amount in the tax year at the standard rate of 20%, up to £50, 000. For full details, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/income-tax-rates. Please note that:
You will be charged tax on your earnings before you reach your allowance.
You will need to fill in a P85 form to reclaim any overpayment of tax at the end of your work period. You can download this form from https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/income-tax-leaving-the-uk-getting-your-tax-right-p85.
Tax refunds are always paid in pounds sterling. For this reason we advise you to keep your bank account (if you have one) open so that you can easily transfer the money home.
We are aware that there are companies that can help you to reclaim your tax. These can be useful, but before you decide to use their services, we recommend that you make sure to check the fees that they charge. These may be either a fixed amount, or a percentage of the amount of your refund.
If you subsequently move to a follow-on placement on a different farm, your first employer will issue you with a P45 (if you have paid tax). This is a statement of your earnings to date for the tax year, and you should present this at your new farm. If you have not paid tax, you can ask your employer for a statement of earnings, which you will need to present to the new farm. If you do not have any salary documentation, you may be asked to fill in a Starter Checklist. This is an alternative declaration form that allows the correct tax code to be issued to you.
National Insurance (NI) is another contribution that you will be required to pay. This covers some of your medical costs, should you require hospital treatment. If you need ongoing treatment, including overnight stays in hospital (deemed necessary by a doctor), your Concordia insurance policy, or own insurance policy (if purchased) will usually cover you. Please check your full policy documents for details. If you need to visit the local doctor for a prescription, they may charge a consultation fee.
NI will be deducted from your gross earnings. Any income above £169 per week will be charged at 12%. Full details available at https://www.gov.uk/national-insurance.
In Wales and Scotland there are specific arrangements, under the Wages Orders, for payments (based on a day’s pay at the appropriate rate) to be made to employees who are off sick. The qualifying conditions include the completion of 52 weeks service with the current employer, which will frequently rule out Concordia seasonal workers. In Northern Ireland there are no provisions for sick pay under the wages order.
There is however provision in England. In order to qualify for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) payments you must:
1. Be employed and have started work with the employer.
2. Inform the employer immediately if you are sick.
3. Be aged 16 or over and under 65 on the first day of sickness.
4. Be off sick for four or more calendar days in a row – this is known as the period of incapacity for work (PIW).
5. Have average weekly earnings either equal to or higher than the lower earnings limit for NI purposes.
In any one period of incapacity for work SSP is payable to an employee for a maximum of 28 weeks.
Payments are not made for the first three qualifying days. Subsequent to this, each day of sickness is paid at the rate of £94.25 divided by the number of days normally worked in the week. If you cannot work while you are self-isolating because of coronavirus (COVID-19), you could get SSP for every day you’re in isolation. You must self-isolate for at least 4 days to be eligible. Full details at: https://www.gov.uk/statutory-sick-pay.
Your employer is required to provide you with an itemised wage slip at regular intervals, which should details of all deductions from gross salary, such as income tax, N.I. and accommodation charges. You also have the right to see your pay records at any time. Written notice must always be given before any deductions are made, and these deductions must:
• Be required by UK law (i.e. Income tax and NI).
• Have been previously authorised by you in your contract.
• Have been previously agreed with you in writing.
• Be a repayment of any expenses and/or overpaid.
– Please seek to resolve issues with your employer first – in most cases they will be able to help you.
– If you have spoken to your employer and your problem is still not resolved, please contact your local agent who will try to help and give you support. If necessary, the agent will then contact Concordia. If you obtained your placement through the direct application process, then contact Concordia directly.
– In the case of serious and/or urgent problems please contact Concordia directly.
– Responsibility for your health and safety on the farm resides jointly with you and your employer. Concordia cannot be held liable for health and safety on the farm.
Whilst there are no guaranteed working hours, most placements are based on a minimum of a 39 hour week on average, which means that you must be available to work for at least 39 hours per week. On many farms additional hours will be available, although it is not guaranteed. If through working additional hours you will be working more than 48 per week, you will need to sign a document saying that you agree to this, however, you will not be required to work more than 60 hours in a week, unless there are exceptional circumstances.
Farming is weather dependant, and unusual or unexpected weather conditions may mean that work is available for less than 39 hours per week. If in any given week you have worked fewer than 16 hours, we recommend to our growers to not charge accommodation for that week.
You will be entitled to 28 days holiday per year including bank holidays (pro rata ). If you choose not to take all or part of your holiday during your placement, you will receive payment for this (at your usual rate) with your final wages. Full details at: https://www.gov.uk/holiday-entitlement-rights.
When working, you are permitted to take an uninterrupted break of 20 minutes, if you work for 6 hours or longer. Furthermore, you have the right to 11 hours rest between working days. Full details at: https://www.gov.uk/rest-breaks-work.
Concordia membership includes a travel insurance policy that provides you with coverage for up to 52 weeks, when on a Concordia work placement.
Your travel to your Concordia work placement(s) in the UK is covered by this policy.
Also included in the pack is a UK SIM card with pre-loaded credit and pastoral support. There is no fee payable for Concordia Membership.
You confirm that:
– All information submitted either by yourself directly or by a Concordia representative on your behalf is correct and accurate, and that you have submitted all the necessary documents in support of your application.
– Concordia membership is given to you free of charge, and therefore, you have made no payment for this.
– You give Concordia and/or your employer permission to pass your mobile telephone number on to a trusted third party, such that they can conduct a survey to determine whether your welfare has been safeguarded throughout the process. Your name will never be passed on to this company, and it is completely anonymous. Concordia and its suppliers comply with GDPR regulations.
– You understand that you alone are liable for any costs that may be incurred by failing to submit correct information or documentation.
– You are in a state of health that enables you to undertake hard physical work for the full period of the work placement.
– You have read and agree to abide by the terms and conditions set out by Concordia in this document.
– You are available and agree to work for the full work period stated.
– You understand that any data you provide in the course of the application process may be disclosed to future employers or UK regulatory bodies, subject to the requirements of the UK Data Protection Act / GDPR.
You are registered under the health care system in your home country. If you are over 65, you will contact Concordia so an appropriate insurance policy can be provided.
Disclaimer:
Please note that the information contained on this web page is correct at the time of creation, and rates of pay, worker benefits and deductions may be subject to change from April of the following year onwards. The authoritative source on these matters is Gov.UK, and if ever in doubt, workers are recommended to check this website.
