Samba

well done guys, I passed too after my 3rd attempt at 5837 part, thank god. now I can get on with the rest of my life!

No worries about the Hi-jack Hodge, I appreciate yours and everyone elses contributions to this hazey subject. The reason why I started the discussion was because the guy I was working with for 3 days a week has just knocked down my rate for the 3 days as his accountant was making sure I got what I wanted as my day rate and was costing the employer way above what he should of been paying me, as he was paying me my day rate plus my tax and ni contributions. He has now adjusted my rate to less as he is paying my tax etc for me. I was obviously getting a very good deal before, as he was paying me my day rate plus my contributions and now I will lose out. I never asked to be on the books but am willing to commit as he gives me a guaranteed 3 days a week. I wanted to know if by being part time if I should get holiday, ppe etc? I do think that the CIS scheme should be implemented in arb as its such a hazey subject and its something I believe our industry representatives should be working towards as it would make all our lives easier (employers and subbies alike)

Of course I'm paying tax, I have been both employed and self employed previously but have never come across this before. The other company I work for just pays you when you invoice irrelevant of how regular you work and they leave all your tax up to you. I understand they are covering themselves and that I will pretty much be in the same boat come tax return time its just that when you are getting full subby pay(no deductions) you have the money in the bank and can use it at your own will. I just wondered if anyone was in the same boat and whether come April whether I could claim back the tax that he has already paid for me or whether I should declare all my earnings. Its been a long time since I was subbing and I've never been paid this way previously.

Hey all, I am subbying for a couple of companies, one for 1 day a week, another for 3 days and do my own thing on the other. The guy I work for 3 days a wk says I need to be employed on the books and the 3 days is over the threshold of status for tax reasons. He is going to pay for my tax and NIS for me for the 3 days I work for him. This isn't exactly what I wanted, as i recieve less each wk because of it, but as I need the 3 days its hard to say no. Does anyone know how working 3 days part time will affect my tax return when I go to complete it? None of the other companies I work for want to deduct my tax and NIS and I am confused why he wants to go down this route. Also by being part time I would have thought I would get the other things that come with it (holiday pay etc)? Any advice would be appreciated

Hey guys, thanks for all your replies and useful comments, Its so encouraging to hear positive and constructive words. My love of treework is waning in meerly a practical sense as I have been and done a lot and am finding my interest in practical work to be a little tiresome as there are only so many times I can say, "Why are we deadwooding this tree over a field?", and "no maddame your tree isn't 'just' too big" I have studied long and hard and its hard to find an employer that keeps your mind alive and doesn't challenge your morals (I was told in an interview that they wanted a client led employee who pushed the boundaries and they didn't want a hippy tree lover) Plus I love wildlife, I always have and always will. I volunteered all last summer with a local ecologist carrying out dusk emergence bat surveys. I also helped him with a few other surveys and at the end of the summer he offered to pay me. I have also added myself to the list of volunteer surveyors for the local wildlife trusts and have been employed as a sub contract climbing surveyor for bats. This has all been possible because I became self employed which gave me the time and I have the support from my fiancee and people like yourselves offering me this advice. I look forward to the new year when I hope to work towards my bat license and gain as much experience as I can. Cheers again guys and anymore advice is appreciated. Happy new year

Immense. Does anyone know when the National Geographic issue is due to come out?

Totally agree with you face cord, makes me so angry as we've all seen this coming and nothing has been done. Its madness that we import so many NATIVE trees, but hey money makes the world go round......

Very good job on a difficult subject, it is such a hard thing to instill confidence and a balanced well informed view when the general feeling is to find someone to string up. I really hope this doesn't lead to knee jerk reactions. Also don't like the way Jeremy Vine described about finding someone to blame, he loves a good story of misery and starting a witchhunt - "trees with more protection than people"

Depends how much you want!? I got a place for ya to kip now, it doesn't include breakfast tho Hows work without any sleep?

Anyone in or around Oxfordshire have a truck and chipper to hire? Just looking to see whats about as I may have some private stuff coming up. PM me details and day rates please. Cheers Samba

Make that four for reduce, then in time monolyth. Doesn't hurt leaving a bit of standing deadwood

Is this pretty much like the VT? I've turned into a right fashion climber with my lockjack so dont use knots that often, but interested, can you use this on non return systems for pulling lines?

A load of climbing inspections for me that day, that and deadwooding a pubic hair covered lime

There's quite a few threads on the employment section about how to get experience so probably worth checking them out. I'd suggest you keep on with contacting firms, but if you have your own kit try to get as much practice climbing with others off the course to get your confidence up. Most firms like to see confident climbers because confident climbers make them money and they can trust you not to do anything stupid. Good luck

You lucky buggers the pair of you, I keep going down the waterways in the hope I might catch a sight of one. Good news they are making a comeback

Thanks so much all of you for your replies, I really appreciate them. I will persevere with the trusts and volunteering and might just one day be able to do ecology as a career and afford to live on it

Thanks guys, I am going to try to do some great crested newt surveys and try to get my bat handling license. I've also contacted a few local trusts about volunteer work. I have always wanted to work in Ecology, but like most people got a bit lost along the way. I feel like I at least have to give it a try, even if it just ends up as voluntary work forever, at least I will be learning and doing something I love. Cheers for the advice

Hi, I've been in the industry for 10 yrs or so and am wondering how easy it is to get into ecology? I've done the RFS, tech cert and am studying an a level in environmental studies. I also help out an ecologist with bat surveys and have reached a manager level in tree work. I've spoken to a few people and they have said I need volunteer experience, more volunteer experience and a degree. Does anyone know whether it is realistic for me to be an ecologist without a degree and has anyone succeeded in the same position as me? I enjoy tree work but my love of it is certainly waning as I get older

That's true but surely like any food chain the more seals another predator will come in, I heard that killer whales were spotted on the Norfolk coast recently so perhaps they will move round to pems sometime, here's hoping!