Is there a legal/accounting reason my contract is moving to weekly rolling?

[stuffed]

Hi

Have been with a company contracting for a while. They are now introducing a rule where if you have been there for over 40 weeks, then you will move to weekly rolling contracts.

Does anyone know why they would initiate something like this?
Is it to protect them from paying employment benefits or something.

Let me know if anyone has any ideas on it.

Seems a risky move to make as it obviously makes us feel pretty twitchy about hanging around.
PS: I get the impression my boss wants to keep me, so I like to think it's not to minimize my notice period.

Cheers

[Wobblyheed]

Hi

Have been with a company contracting for a while. They are now introducing a rule where if you have been there for over 40 weeks, then you will move to weekly rolling contracts.

Does anyone know why they would initiate something like this?
Is it to protect them from paying employment benefits or something.

Let me know if anyone has any ideas on it.

Seems a risky move to make as it obviously makes us feel pretty twitchy about hanging around.
PS: I get the impression my boss wants to keep me, so I like to think it's not to minimize my notice period.

Cheers

Hmmm....are you sure you're a contractor

[TestMangler]

Hi

Have been with a company contracting for a while. They are now introducing a rule where if you have been there for over 40 weeks, then you will move to weekly rolling contracts.

Does anyone know why they would initiate something like this?
Is it to protect them from paying employment benefits or something.

Let me know if anyone has any ideas on it.

Seems a risky move to make as it obviously makes us feel pretty twitchy about hanging around.
PS: I get the impression my boss wants to keep me, so I like to think it's not to minimize my notice period.

Cheers

Could be a lot of reasons.

You don't mention what kind of company you work for. Bank ? Consultancy ?

At various times along the way, various client co's have come up with various reasons for doing stuff like that, usually with no good reason.

For example, in 2007, HBOS decided to get rid of all contractors after 24 months. Apparently someone in their legal dept claimed that it protected them 'from IR35'. I seem to remember Barclays did something similar, then changed their minds pretty quickly.

Could be down to poor interpretation of some piece of legislation where they are under the impression that they are protecting themselves from something.

If it's a consultancy, they could be seeing losses of work on the horizon and want the ability to shed the contractors quickly.

More info may help

And i'll say it before NLUK does If you want longer than a week's notice, maybe you're not cut out for contracting etc etc etc

[psychocandy]

Hi

Have been with a company contracting for a while. They are now introducing a rule where if you have been there for over 40 weeks, then you will move to weekly rolling contracts.

Does anyone know why they would initiate something like this?
Is it to protect them from paying employment benefits or something.

Let me know if anyone has any ideas on it.

Seems a risky move to make as it obviously makes us feel pretty twitchy about hanging around.
PS: I get the impression my boss wants to keep me, so I like to think it's not to minimize my notice period.

Cheers

Do you have a contract? If so, what does that say?

Sounds like you're a temp not a contractor.

[northernladuk]

And i'll say it before NLUK does If you want longer than a week's notice, maybe you're not cut out for contracting etc etc etc

Damn you you scurvy dog!!! Stealing my thunder... My comment would have been more around an experienced contractor would understand his and his clients relationship and have at least some understanding why this happens.

It could just be company policy. Barclays had a 52 week rule that you couldn't work past that as a contractor and no one seemed to be able to say why.

My guess that the bean counters are looking at how many contractors there is and there is an initiative to reduce or re-address the policy of just hiring a contractor whenever anyone needs them and not using the internal bench.

The one month then does allow them to get rid of you quickly should year end require it or a permie becomes free that can fit you in.

Get ready for a rate cut or a quick exit next.
I guess it is a large client with a disconnect between HR and the reality of the work?

[stuffed]

Thanks for the feedback guys.
Been a contractor for the past 16 years, actually never been a permanent.
Outfit is a big bank with Hays calling the shots likely on this new structure they want to go with.
My 1 year contract is up in a week, and my boss mentioned that their is a new policy for long term contractors to switch to weekly rolling contracts.
Already had the pay cut - you can thank Hays for that as well with the email they sent around to us all with everyones rates.

So I presume Hays have a valid reason for going with this option. Or maybe it's the Banks call

[TestMangler]

Thanks for the feedback guys.
Been a contractor for the past 16 years, actually never been a permanent.
Outfit is a big bank with Hays calling the shots likely on this new structure they want to go with.
My 1 year contract is up in a week, and my boss mentioned that their is a new policy for long term contractors to switch to weekly rolling contracts.
Already had the pay cut - you can thank Hays for that as well with the email they sent around to us all with everyones rates.

So I presume Hays have a valid reason for going with this option. Or maybe it's the Banks call

Are we talking HBOS/Lloyds ?

If so, I know why they're doing it.

[stuffed]

Hey

Nope the acronym starts with R, and ends with S, with the "S" being the operative word to how I feel about them right now.

[Bumfluff]

Hey

Nope the acronym starts with R, and ends with S, with the "S" being the operative word to how I feel about them right now.

The news to me, I know they were applying max 3 month extention rule in Sept, but then they changed there mind a week ago and increased it back to 6 months. The only people I know who got 1 week rolling contracts where were Hays had taken so long to sort out the renewal (6 weeks plus) that they ran out of time so had to put them on weekly rolling contracts until the Hays person managed to workout how to use a keyboard and sort the proper renewal out.

[stuffed]

OK, spoke directly to Hays to try get their take on the matter. More some procedural signoff requirement to a higher level for anyone that has been contracting for 2 years. As this will take a while to finalize they will be putting me on rolling 1 week contracts until it all gets signed off.
Once signed I will move back onto a 6 month contract.

So no sinister plot it seems.