Ending contract early

**northernladuk** · 30 March 2015, 20:36

Does it not say somewhere you can advise the agent before 9am if you can't be in?

I wonder if he's been burnt by dicks that use calling in 'sick' in the last week to get out of their contractual obligations... There are enough about that think this is a smart idea...

**jazza** · 30 March 2015, 20:39

Originally posted by northernladuk View Post

Does it not say somewhere you can advise the agent before 9am if you can't be in?

I wonder if he's been burnt by dicks that use calling in 'sick' in the last week to get out of their contractual obligations... There are enough about that think this is a smart idea...

They had someone leave with no notice last week citing family emergency in India, and I could hear the slightly unsympathetic boss asking about notice period in this situation.

It just seems a bit much to me for the 3 days of work they might have got out of me.

**northernladuk** · 30 March 2015, 20:45

I can see both sides. Client is seriously hacked off with people just pissing off when they fancy it leaving him with no handover, particularly if you are not the first this week. I'd be ******* livid.

But I see you have a genuine emergency at just the wrong time so your client should understand that.

Check your contract again. There is normally a clause in about notifying your client of unforeseen time off. If there is just then point that out.

If not just speak to your client again and see if you can make the time up next week or evenings to give him a decent handover. If you can convince him you mean well he may not even take you up on it.

**GillsMan** · 31 March 2015, 07:22

Originally posted by northernladuk View Post

If not just speak to your client again and see if you can make the time up next week or evenings to give him a decent handover. If you can convince him you mean well he may not even take you up on it.

This, all day long. Effective communication should put the client at ease. Like NLUK I can see both sides of the coin here.

**DaveB** · 31 March 2015, 07:26

Originally posted by northernladuk View Post

I can see both sides. Client is seriously hacked off with people just pissing off when they fancy it leaving him with no handover, particularly if you are not the first this week. I'd be ******* livid.

But I see you have a genuine emergency at just the wrong time so your client should understand that.

Check your contract again. There is normally a clause in about notifying your client of unforeseen time off. If there is just then point that out.

If not just speak to your client again and see if you can make the time up next week or evenings to give him a decent handover. If you can convince him you mean well he may not even take you up on it.

Invoke your substitution clause and offer to send in a replacement. Let the client know this may take a few days to arrange. They will probably tell you not to bother.

**northernladuk** · 31 March 2015, 07:29

Originally posted by DaveB View Post

Invoke your substitution clause and offer to send in a replacement. Let the client know this may take a few days to arrange. They will probably tell you not to bother.

Remember sending in a sub isn't just a matter of a new guy turning up at the door. He will have to be brought up to speed by the Op for a number of days at no extra cost to the client. It has to be a seemless transition so this won't work.

**MarillionFan** · 31 March 2015, 08:26

Originally posted by jazza View Post

I have a contract that was due to end this week.
Over the weekend my wife was rushed to hospital for emergency surgery. I notified the client that I couldn't make it in to work this week because I needed to look after my wife (she came home today) and also couldn't get any daycare for the kids at such short notice. This is all true by the way, I did try to find something for the kids but it was all full.

I was quite surprised when the agent rang up tonight to say the client were not happy (although happy with my work up until now) and felt that I may even be in breach of contract by not coming in to work.

Any thoughts on this? I presumed it was a similar situation to being sick, if you can't come in you can't come in, and it doesn't need to be specifically mentioned in the contract.

Easy solution. Just offer to come in and do the days the following week & apologise that family circumstances meant you couldn't do it this week.

**jmo21** · 31 March 2015, 09:43

Originally posted by MarillionFan View Post

Easy solution. Just offer to come in and do the days the following week & apologise that family circumstances meant you couldn't do it this week.

This is presumably where the OP tells us his new contract starts on Monday.

**psychocandy** · 31 March 2015, 10:05

Originally posted by jmo21 View Post

This is presumably where the OP tells us his new contract starts on Monday.

Previous poster had a good idea but so what if it does start and he can't do it this way? OP could have legitimately planned to leave on Friday and start new gig next week. Nothing wrong with that.

OK, so an emergency has happened in the meantime - can't be helped. Yeh client may have been burned in the past but this is poor form to tar everyone with the same brush surely especially as OP says its been ok so far.

Does make me wonder whether its agency being pissed off here because they're missing out on their last few days or margin maybe.

But if it is genuinely the client talking this crap my advice to OP would be **** them and move on. If they don't want to believe you then crack on and do what you want.

I don't think the OP has got to 'convince' them. Hes apologised, hes explained the situation - what more could he do? OK, apart from offering to handover at some other time maybe.....

Got a big thing about things like this. Family first whether you're an employee or contractor. Unless you're non-attendance is putting someone else's life at risk (very unlikely) then its tough titty if my family need me.

Few years ago worked with a permie guy who stayed away from home all week (he lived miles away). His wife was really ill in hospital etc but he stayed and worked on a project over the weekend. Nuts....

Ending contract early