Recruitment backhander / kickback

[Xeno]

Is it illegal for a recruitment company to offer to pay me a lump sum to take a job they are hiring for rather than one from a competitor? Tried Google and PH Search to no avail.

Going to take the job anyway, any reason to not also take the free cash?

[scrwright]

agencies seem to be giving away things for refereals etc at the mo so doubt it is illegal unless the other agency first introduced you to the end client. I have to send an email to agencies stating they will represent me for x job with y client, did you send one? if so & it was with the other agency I expect they will use it against you if they wanted.

[monkey gland]

Presumably you have been offered the job at this point?

I don't understand why they need to give you a kickback - surely only one of the agencies would have introduced you to the client and as such their fee will already be "in the bag"?

[Xeno]

Sorry, to be more specific. Was initially told the job included a 'car allowance' in addition to the salary (it's a home based role, car allowance is par for the course). I have this in an email, although it doesn't state the amount - £6k was discussed on the phone.

After completing the interview process with the company, they come back with an offer that now states no car allowance but a 45p/mile allowance for use of own car, okay no biggie, a little annoyed the goalposts seem to have changed.

Parallel to this I have another offer at the same salary, but with a car allowance and 20p per mile.

So I prefer the job with the mileage allowance, but I don't have a suitable car for visiting client sites and will have to buy/lease/rent one, an expense I hadn't planned for, and when I mentioned this to the recruiter as a possible stumbling block, they offered to pay the equivilant of the deposit on a lease car, to 'grease the wheels' and ensure I take the job.

I'd probably accept it as it is, any harm in taking the £1500?

[blindswelledrat]

No harm at all.
I can't see how it would be illegal as it has not 'cost' anyone.
They are obviously just seeing a 50-50 chance of a decent fee and willing to pass some of that fee on to sway the decision.
In your shoes if you are going to take the job anyway I'd bite thier hand off.

[Eric Mc]

Beware of the Procisions of the 2011 Bribery Act.

Paying someone an inducement to place a contract in your direction is now illegal.

[blindswelledrat]

Eric Mc said:

Beware of the Procisions of the 2011 Bribery Act.

Paying someone an inducement to place a contract in your direction is now illegal.

But thats not what is happening.
They have the contract already and are offering a third party an inducement to help complete that contract.

[Bullett]

Xeno said:

Parallel to this I have another offer at the same salary, but with a car allowance and 20p per mile.

You know you can claim the other 25ppm back from the taxman? (Mileage allowance relief)

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/mileage/employee-factsheet....

[Eric Mc]

blindswelledrat said:

Eric Mc said:

Beware of the Procisions of the 2011 Bribery Act.

Paying someone an inducement to place a contract in your direction is now illegal.

But thats not what is happening.
They have the contract already and are offering a third party an inducement to help complete that contract.

As I said, read the Act. All sorts of payments are now looked on as bribery.

[blindswelledrat]

I have read it (or at least as much as one would normally read these things) and there is nothing about it which I can see conforms to this instance.
The conduct which the money is seeking to influence has no element of dishonesty or improperness (if thats a word). It is merely taking a job.

[Eric Mc]

As long as the amounts paid are recorded correctly and the necessary taxes paid (if appropriate) then there should be no problem.

[blindswelledrat]

Eric Mc said:

As long as the amounts paid are recorded correctly and the necessary taxes paid (if appropriate) then there should be no problem.

[T5R+]

Is a "signing on bonus" different these days