Thanks T McGibney. I get what you're saying. In this instance though, as it's a UK company with no presence in Ireland, it's the HMRC who are getting the taxes and social insurance. My understanding is that we'll have to do a true up with the RC and if DH would have paid more tax in Ireland,he pays the difference, but if it transpires he would have paid less, then he doesn't get a refund.
Also, there has been a fundamental shift in his conditions. He is working from home, he is doing less hours. I can see why the company want it for a few reasons :
- realistically, long term they'd like someone on site, which is understandable. But it's quite specialised, so medium term, I can see them hiring someone to do some of the work, and then H gradually withdraws from the equation.
- H would advertise himself as a contractor for other companies. Like that though, given the environment we're in and the fact he has no contacts, the odds of him being besieged with work requests is probably remote.
- It would make it easier on us to negotiate an hourly rate. One of our children has severe developmental delay, and we're in the process of getting him assessed. So being a contractor would help a bit for the appointments, as at the moment he's always having to ring and explain and make the hours up.
-I suspect, and this is more a hunch, that the set up is causing some resentment in the UK place, as it's probably perceived he's on a right cushy number. So I think making his status clear once and for all would probably help morale there.