[austechwriter] Re: re working in other states with management companies
- From: "Steve Hudson" <cruddy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 2 Aug 2003 15:07:42 +1000
1) The second I even sniff the hint of a project management company I go the
other direction. It's really that simple. I have _yet_ to have anything
approaching a satisfactory result with one even being remotely involved.
IMHE, its the quickest way to a slap up cock up I know.
2) Struth, if we numbered enough to fill a rally hall we might have a
chance.
Cue Wizard of Id, Rodney comes running in: "Sire, the flea-removers
association wants tax concessions! They are over-worked and underpaid. They
need to claim expenses on their income."
King: "Expenses? A flea comb is provided for them, they have everything
brought to them... they are just like the blood-sucking parasites they
remove."
Rodney: "But they cannot afford 5-star accomodation anywhere they choose to
live to be near the pets they groom Sire!"
King: "Point em to the camping ground or the backpackers hostel, as they can
always practice on their fellow inmates they should be charged more."
Working on the road means sleeping in the car or cheap accomodation. When I
do the ACT I stay in the flea pits between the railway station and the
parliament. 150 / wk. There's also B&B available through ACT Tourism
commission. If you were to join ACS there are lotsof ACT affiliates who may
be able to put you up for your brief sojourns. etc.
Steve Hudson
Word Heretic, Sydney, Australia
Tricky stuff with Word or words for you.
Email: steve@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Products: http://www.geocities.com/word_heretic/products.html
Spellbooks: 728 pages of dump left and dropping...
-----Original Message-----
From: Erisa Linsky
I have had a bit of bother recently, relocating for short term work, and
dealing with very high costs, and diabolical management companies.
1) I need to get members' recommendations about which companies are
trustworthy and give a good financial result.
2) I think we as technical communicators should be collectively lobbying the
government and obtaining tax rulings to our benefit. If anyone is good at
doing that, it ought to be us.
If contracting in Canberra it is virtually impossible to be self
employed unless you have a company, and therefore on must have PAYG
deducted, as an employee. So you sign your contract over to a management
company who then put you through a payroll tax exempt company (payroll tax
is State tax; in the ACT it is 6.85% VIC is slightly over 5%). The
management company will charge you 5% percent of your income, although some
are less. (Actually they may say 3% and then actually charge you 5).
They then pay you your money, part in wages and part in reimbursements for
expenses incurred. Hence the tax is less than if you paid it on the whole
income. There are other things like workers comp, liability insurance and
medicare that may or may not be included in the 5 -3%.
You are then asked to sign contracts in a hurry that dont specify these
things and sometimes give you no protection at all. Also, interestingly
enough, you may not get the other party's signature on the documents you
sign
So now, you are in a greater financial risk situation. You face the risk of
failure of not only the company you do the work for, and the recruitment
agent, but also the management company and the payroll tax exempt company.
The accommodation costs in Canberra are high, particularly since the
fire. If you get a serviced apartment for $600.00 per week you are doing
pretty well. They are usually over $110 a night. You cant easily rent a
furnished flat for less than three months, and most landlords want at least
six months. Then your phone costs are horrendous also, if you are using a
serviced apartment or hotel phone, or your mobile. If you do lease, you
will have trouble getting your bond back, as they know you are leaving town.
Food is another contentious item. What happens if you have to buy a heater,
cooking equipment or spend a few hundred bucks in petrol and phone charges
in the process of finding accommodation?
Management companies dont seem to have done their homework about
associated living away from home costs that are tax deductable, or if they
have, they are unable to explain or field questions adequately, getting it
muddled, and some become aggressive and threatening and there is no point
bothering many more of these costs would be ruled as deductable. In the
future it is likely that more Melbourne companies will force you to become
an employee. Currently most of them do not, if you are operating as a sole
trader.
Anyone care to discuss this?
Erisa Linsky
0407 811 937 (03) 9855 1820
Slinka@xxxxxxxxxxx
erisalinsky@xxxxxxxxxxx
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