ePayMe on gaining Professional Passport accreditation and joining trade body APSCo, confirming the company's commitment to best practiceePayMe, the leading outsourced payroll services provider for the recruitment industry, has been named an Approved Supplier by employment industry recognition scheme, Professional Passport, at the same time as becoming an affiliate member of APSCo, the international trade association for the recruitment industry.
The Professional Passport accreditation scheme involves rigorous auditing of ePayMe’s service levels, in-house systems, work practices and staff training. Combined with the APSCo affiliate membership, this means that ePayMe has been recognised for exceeding the standards required by Government departments of any company involved in supplying employees or contractors.
Alongside the ‘stamp of approval’ from APSCo, ePayMe will also now be able to participate in networking events alongside leading professional staffing agencies within the UK.
Sarah Johnston, Managing Director of ePayMe, says: “The fact that we have successfully gained the Professional Passport accreditation is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team.
“We have elected to join APSCo after gaining this accreditation to further cement our commitment to clients, especially those within the education sector in support of the CCS framework. We are excited for the coming months and meeting more fellow APSCo members, attending events and helping members to grow and thrive.”
APSCo Global CEO Ann Swain said: “APSCo is delighted to welcome ePayMe into its affiliate membership and we are looking forward to representing, promoting and supporting their brand now and in the future.
“All of our affiliate members have to commit to a strict Code of Conduct and a rigorous, independently verified, referencing process before they join. As such, APSCo affiliates provides a valued stamp of best practice, quality, integrity and expertise.”
Additionally, the Professional Passport accreditation means agency and end client members who use ePayMe are covered by the organisation’s unique £5million debt transfer liability insurance.
Johnston adds: “Professional Passport aims to provide industry-recognised standards for service providers, agencies, end employers and contractors within the recruitment industry.
“At ePayMe, we fully support their efforts to create a level playing field and raise the level of professionalism within our industry. With our market becoming ever more complex and new rules and regulations being introduced all the time, it’s vital that we all pull together to ensure best practice in everything we do.”
Membership of a recognised trade body and proof of best practice are now required by any services provider operating within the Public Sector. Many of the contractors who use ePayMe’s services work in nursing and education, areas which are covered by rules and framework agreements stipulated by the UK Government’s procurement agency, the Crown Commercial Services. These aim to make it easier for smaller suppliers to bid for government work, while ensuring that everyone in the supply chain adheres to best practice.
At the same time, Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is cracking down on what it sees as tax avoidance and is scrutinising many of the business practices within the recruitment industry, including the use of ‘umbrella companies’ and what it considers to be ‘fake self-employment’.
ePayMe is a leader in the provision of specialist payroll support for recruitment agencies and for contractors, an area which is becoming more complex and more regulated as time goes by. ePayMe is currently exploring a range of industry accreditation schemes to ensure it, and the contractors and agencies it works with, continue to follow best practice.
