Double Billing 2 Clients

[captainham]

Currently, I do not double bill the clients at all, which makes for ridiculously long days. For the most part, my day is either working for one client or the other. It's only during those 3 hours that I really am working for both clients. I don't feel it's unethical to charge both for that time, but maybe I'm wrong? I don't want to do anything illegal and lose a contract.

TQ

Personally I think it is fine to double-bill for your time if they are indeed paying for your expertise/nursing/monitoring the job etc (and not just the defined activity of "run this script"). Whether or not it is legal in the US, you're not going to get that answered here; we're fortunate enough to have several UK accountants roaming the forum, but US legal specialists, I doubt it very much.

[jmo21]

For client A - I normally charge my client for the time the automated test is running. They are paying for my expertise and I have to monitor the tests regularly. If there's a failure, I'm expected to triage, escalate, repair and restart testing as soon as possible. It's sort of a "firefighter" type role. I have other roles for that client, but usually get that done earlier in the day.

Currently, I do not double bill the clients at all, which makes for ridiculously long days. For the most part, my day is either working for one client or the other. It's only during those 3 hours that I really am working for both clients. I don't feel it's unethical to charge both for that time, but maybe I'm wrong? I don't want to do anything illegal and lose a contract.

The long days are neither clients problem.

That being said, I wouldn't lose much sleep over it, ethical or not. You wouldn't be the first, nor will you be the last business to engage in double billing.

Large consultancies would do this without blinking, not just in IT too.

So your little 3 hours every now and again is not the crime of the century.

It's up to you though, some will be outraged at what I've just put.
And if you get caught, then there is a good chance you'll get terminated.

[northernladuk]

The long days are neither clients problem.

That being said, I wouldn't lose much sleep over it, ethical or not. You wouldn't be the first, nor will you be the last business to engage in double billing.

Large consultancies would do this without blinking, not just in IT too.

So you little 3 hours every now and again is not the crime of the century.

It's up to you though, some will be outraged at what I've just put.

At the end of the day this ^^^

Forgetting the technicalities, will you get found out? I very much doubt it so up to your personal attitude to risk.

But I do think the fact you said you are billing hourly is the answer to this situation.

[eek]

I would bill both, simply because if it wasn't for the other client you would be billing for the time the automated systems ran.

And if you end up with only the automated client they may start asking why you didn't bill those two hours before.

However surely automated tests are well automated so could be run overnight

[captainham]

But I do think the fact you said you are billing hourly is the answer to this situation.

Missed that part, which alters my earlier response somewhat. Bill for the time you've spent working for that client.

If we were talking about a day rate, I'd have a slightly different view, as above; especially if you're not rigid in terms of starting at 9/finishing at 5 religiously.

[BlasterBates]

no you can't bill for the running of an automated test as "time", but you can bill for the wear and tear on your computer and the electric bill as "materials".

If you spend time looking at the automated test, you can bill that.

[kingcook]

Watch the output of both automated scripts as they fly past in separate windows (stacked side-by-side).

Then you can charge for both.

I would

[GazCol]

Here's a little more information...

I am asking about US law. I couldn't find a good US contractor forum, so decided to try here.

I am hourly on both contracts.

For client A - I normally charge my client for the time the automated test is running. They are paying for my expertise and I have to monitor the tests regularly. If there's a failure, I'm expected to triage, escalate, repair and restart testing as soon as possible. It's sort of a "firefighter" type role. I have other roles for that client, but usually get that done earlier in the day.

Currently, I do not double bill the clients at all, which makes for ridiculously long days. For the most part, my day is either working for one client or the other. It's only during those 3 hours that I really am working for both clients. I don't feel it's unethical to charge both for that time, but maybe I'm wrong? I don't want to do anything illegal and lose a contract.

TQ

I can’t answer, for obvious reasons, whether under US law if it’s legal or not, but if I were in your position I would definitely double bill for that period. I see my business as not just my personal service, but that of equipment owned by my company. I would run the automated test for client A on PC A whilst working for client B on PC B.

To be honest, until your question, I’ve never even questioned the legality or ethics of it myself.

[northernladuk]

So if the OP is billing hourly and has an automated script that runs for 6 hours overnight. Does he bill for the 6 hours he is asleep? Does he buggery. I would certainly be making some charge for the reasons already been mentioned but billing for the hours it runs? I don't think so.

And it's not double billing, it's billing two clients.

[BlasterBates]

Agree with NLUK, if you're working at home billing for an automated test then that would mean contractors on site can knock off two hours early and claim the compile or their test is running, so they can still charge, or the garage mechanic can charge for 8 hours because he had the battery charger on overnight.

No-one will find out but it sure aint legal.