Three (!) week Christmas contractor furlough

[BoredBloke]

Dude - try living your life instead. Make hay while the sun shines is reasonable, but I know way too many people taken too young to dedicate my entire life to work.

Each to their own I suppose, but we don't know the financial circumstances of the OP - If he was on a 3 month contract covering December, then in reality he's suddenly on a 2 and a bit one - makes a big difference if you are coming back from a longish period of bench time.

I tend to budget for 2 weeks off. It would annoy me also if the client had decided I was taking 3!

[Lance]

"Telling them" you're having a month off 2 months from go live may result in them "telling you" not to come back at all, suppose it depends how much you need/want the money

Then don’t ask/tell for something completely unreasonable. You plan your unavailability so it doesn’t impact the project deadlines.

[psychocandy]

Always strikes me as a bit penny pinching when clients do this. I've had it once or twice and it is a little annoying...

As I'm sure I've said before, I was on a project at one client that was due to go live in feb. It was behind. Out of the blue - all contractors had to take time off over xmas. Nuts. I argued but the response was tough luck.

First week back PM gave everyone a pep talk about how he expected us to "put the effort in" to get it back on track. i.e. work longer hours.

Sod that. There was no way I was getting unpaid in december and then working these hours for free on top in jan. Luckily, everyone else felt the same and guess what it was late. Client lost money etc I think - they never learn.

[pr1]

One of the other contractors just asked for December off. PM laughed in their face. Go live in Feb does that to a person.

I'm thankful. December is when the extended family is all off work too. So I'd much rather be in the office..

ASKED??? There’s the problem right there. Don’t ASK a PM permission. Tell them.

"Telling them" you're having a month off 2 months from go live may result in them "telling you" not to come back at all, suppose it depends how much you need/want the money

Then don’t ask/tell for something completely unreasonable. You plan your unavailability so it doesn’t impact the project deadlines.

lol - you've changed your tune

[Lance]

lol - you've changed your tune

Not really. I’d still not ask. I’d just not drop the project in the tulip in the first place.

[northernladyuk]

Always strikes me as a bit penny pinching when clients do this. I've had it once or twice and it is a little annoying...

It is penny pinching for NMW BAU monkeys, but for B2B expert contractors the costs mount up in a relatively unproductive time of year.

As I'm sure I've said before, I was on a project at one client that was due to go live in feb. It was behind. Out of the blue - all contractors had to take time off over xmas. Nuts. I argued but the response was tough luck.

First week back PM gave everyone a pep talk about how he expected us to "put the effort in" to get it back on track. i.e. work longer hours.

Sod that. There was no way I was getting unpaid in december and then working these hours for free on top in jan. Luckily, everyone else felt the same and guess what it was late. Client lost money etc I think - they never learn.

You're right there.

[jmo21]

First week back PM gave everyone a pep talk about how he expected us to "put the effort in" to get it back on track. i.e. work longer hours.

That takes some balls to ask that.

As I said, I am very happy to take the time off, but in that situation I would be less than impressed.

[northernladuk]

Always strikes me as a bit penny pinching when clients do this. I've had it once or twice and it is a little annoying...

That's because you don't understand your clients and their business.

First week back PM gave everyone a pep talk about how he expected us to "put the effort in" to get it back on track. i.e. work longer hours.

But you said he gave everyone a pep talk. Not just you. Just don't be so precious.

Sod that. There was no way I was getting unpaid in december and then working these hours for free on top in jan. Luckily, everyone else felt the same and guess what it was late. Client lost money etc I think - they never learn.

It's not about the money. Refer to my first point.

[SueEllen]

Then don’t ask/tell for something completely unreasonable. You plan your unavailability so it doesn’t impact the project deadlines.

Quite a few clients I've had I've looked at the project plan and planned my time off around that.

[SueEllen]

Always strikes me as a bit penny pinching when clients do this. I've had it once or twice and it is a little annoying...

As I'm sure I've said before, I was on a project at one client that was due to go live in feb. It was behind. Out of the blue - all contractors had to take time off over xmas. Nuts. I argued but the response was tough luck.

First week back PM gave everyone a pep talk about how he expected us to "put the effort in" to get it back on track. i.e. work longer hours.

You know if you stopped wasting time on here, gossiping, surfing the web etc and just having short breaks throughout the day to get a drink, go to the toilet and go to lunch then you won't have to work longer hours.