Please help :)

**Marley&Me** · March 15th, 2015, 11:00 AM

DH did 3 days work as a brickies labourer 2 weeks ago. It was as a subbie and the job didn't work out, but he hasn't been paid yet. the boss keeps saying for DH to bring his ABN and an invoice with his full name and address, contact number, hours worked etc. We have no clue what this is and had no clue we had to do this. I guess DH assumed that because he was arriving and leaving the job site on bosses instructions (just like a normal job) that the boss would already have this info. I thought an invoice was for when you do independent work for someone so we are a little confused.

So what exactly is this "invoice" he is talking about? He is very vague in txt msg to my DH.

**little_O** · March 15th, 2015, 12:33 PM

No 100 percent, but as a subbie (subcontract) that means that you are self employed, which means you have your own business information and insurances. he would need this invoice (you can buy a pad at the supermarket or newsagents that you just fill in your details is. Name, address, license number, Abn, details of work performed and hours etc) and give that to the boss. They can then process it and pay it. Pretty sure they need a paperwork trail for tax etc.

**Marley&Me** · March 15th, 2015, 01:05 PM

Oh ok. Do we need to specify pay? There was no pay rate discussed as yet. I have looked on the internet for an invoice template, but there are sooooooo many. I'm unsure which one because they all need a pay rate/money bit to be filled in.

**vic261** · March 15th, 2015, 02:13 PM

The invoice should have how many hours he worked x his hourly rate. Must subbies have their own rate that they work for and its usually discussed before they start the job. If it has not been discussed then just put down what he charges per hour.

**Marley&Me** · March 15th, 2015, 03:54 PM

Thanks Vic. No pay rates discussed at all. It's no surprise it didn't work out!

**Livinthedream** · March 15th, 2015, 07:53 PM

Does your Dh have an ABN?
If the boss asked your Dh to work as a subbie (sub contractor) then he would have assumed your dh would have an ABN and that you would give him an invoice (bill) for the amount per hour that your dh was charging to do the work. For example work 7 till 3 with a 15 minute smoko and a 1/2 hr lunch = 7.25 hrs @ $25 per hour = $181.25 x how ever many days he worked. Until you supply the boss with this invoice WITH AN ABN he won't pay you, as he will be unable to claim your Dh pay as a work expense.
You need to google how do I get an ABN? Apply for one online and get an invoice book form a newsagent.
A hand written invoice will suffice.
Your husband will be trading under his own name as a sole trader.
It should be pretty straightforward.

**Marley&Me** · March 16th, 2015, 09:00 PM

Does your Dh have an ABN?
If the boss asked your Dh to work as a subbie (sub contractor) then he would have assumed your dh would have an ABN and that you would give him an invoice (bill) for the amount per hour that your dh was charging to do the work. For example work 7 till 3 with a 15 minute smoko and a 1/2 hr lunch = 7.25 hrs @ $25 per hour = $181.25 x how ever many days he worked. Until you supply the boss with this invoice WITH AN ABN he won't pay you, as he will be unable to claim your Dh pay as a work expense.
You need to google how do I get an ABN? Apply for one online and get an invoice book form a newsagent.
A hand written invoice will suffice.
Your husband will be trading under his own name as a sole trader.
It should be pretty straightforward.

Yes he has just activated his ABN (it was inactive) We used a template from the internet for the invoice and DH had to ask what the pay rate was (which should have been discussed and agreed upon in the first place IMO). Apparently it was $22 per hour. Dh was not very happy. And then the guy told him that $18.75 was actually the minimum he could have paid him, so it was like he was doing him a favor.
I was under the assumption that when working with your own ABN you are paid more because you need to take out your own tax, super, annual etc. Think this guy is a bit dodgy. DH isn't going to do anymore work with him.

**Rivlas** · March 17th, 2015, 02:37 PM

If you google the rates for bricklayers in Vic you will find he wasn't being completely honest. The going rate is between $21 - $31 per hour regardless of years experience.
I don't think that rate takes into conderation sub contracting.
I wonder if he is paying his workers the correct wage?.

**little_O** · March 17th, 2015, 03:44 PM

Not sure in vic, but in SA there is an award rate as a brickies labourer. Definitely a different amount to a bricklayer who has completed a 4 year apprenticeship.you should be able to look up the award rate. Technically as a subcontractor you can charge what you like, but normally you would have an agreed amount prior to starting. As in a bricklayer might like to be payed $2 a brick, but really he will only get work if he charges $1 per brick because that's the agreed rate.

Does that make sense? It's been a looooonnnngggg day!

**Livinthedream** · March 17th, 2015, 07:53 PM

Yes he has just activated his ABN (it was inactive) We used a template from the internet for the invoice and DH had to ask what the pay rate was (which should have been discussed and agreed upon in the first place IMO). Apparently it was $22 per hour. Dh was not very happy. And then the guy told him that $18.75 was actually the minimum he could have paid him, so it was like he was doing him a favor.
I was under the assumption that when working with your own ABN you are paid more because you need to take out your own tax, super, annual etc. Think this guy is a bit dodgy. DH isn't going to do anymore work with him.

As a subbie, yes, you do need to pay your own tax, holidays, super, sick pay etc.
So depending on your skill level/qualifications/experience you sometimes do charge more.
But if your DH was just labouring, and has not had any experience in the trade, you won't neccesarily be able to charge $30 per hour to ensure you take home $22.
Skill and experience are what determine what you charge.
The upside of being a subbie is that you can claim much more in the way of tax deductions than an employee. Your fuel, vehicle expenses (servicing, rego, repayments) are all claim able if you use your car to go to work, as is your mobile bill, a portion of your home internet, stationary.... Really anything that relates to you getting to work or finding work will be deductIble.
So make sure you save your receipts. They all add up.

**Livinthedream** · March 17th, 2015, 07:58 PM

If you google the rates for bricklayers in Vic you will find he wasn't being completely honest. The going rate is between $21 - $31 per hour regardless of years experience.
I don't think that rate takes into conderation sub contracting.
I wonder if he is paying his workers the correct wage?.

A qualified bricklayer and a Labourer are two very different things.
I know plenty of labourers who are lucky to take home much more than $15 per hour.
Tashas quote of $18 odd per hour before tax sounds about right for an inexperienced Labourer.

**Marley&Me** · March 17th, 2015, 08:09 PM

I know plenty of labourers who are lucky to take home much more than $15 per hour.
Tashas quote of $18 odd per hour before tax sounds about right for an inexperienced Labourer.

Wow, wages are getting so, so low for hard work! DH has done brickies labouring before, but not for a few years. I just can't believe the hourly rate some companies are offering. I just saw a MR truck driver with forklift offering $20 an hour CASUAL. I work in hospitality and take home $23.50 an hour and my job is not hard at all. No wonder people can't make ends meet these days. It's really sad

**Livinthedream** · March 17th, 2015, 08:38 PM

Wow, wages are getting so, so low for hard work! DH has done brickies labouring before, but not for a few years. I just can't believe the hourly rate some companies are offering. I just saw a MR truck driver with forklift offering $20 an hour CASUAL. I work in hospitality and take home $23.50 an hour and my job is not hard at all. No wonder people can't make ends meet these days. It's really sad

Yes, it is hard, especially for people who don't have qualifications.
It really is worth doing your trade/uni/course/qualification when you are young and free from responsibility and can afford to live on the bones of your a$$.
Trying to do this and provide for children and other responsibilities is nigh impossible on unskilled wages.

**Marley&Me** · March 19th, 2015, 09:02 AM

Yes, it is hard, especially for people who don't have qualifications.
It really is worth doing your trade/uni/course/qualification when you are young and free from responsibility and can afford to live on the bones of your a$$.
Trying to do this and provide for children and other responsibilities is nigh impossible on unskilled wages.

Yes it's hard! But he does have other qualifications, Truck license, forklift, welder (engineering) and has his white card. Also done a few other small tickets. It's just hard to get something reasonably close with decent pay. I work 5 minutes down the road so I am lucky