backstabbing, bitching, sucking up to the boss.

[SueEllen]

If you think you have the CV to land another role fast & can compete with peers in the getting harder by the week contract job market then hand in your notice ASAP.

If you are flexible on location, have decent skills and have networked it should not take long....

[uk contractor]

As I always say, tons of clients out there who just want a contractor who acts like a permie. Yes they know there is a difference but they just dont care sometimes.

Longer you're there the worse they get. Starts off slowly then sometimes gets to this sort of thing where they think of you like this.

I'll bet my arse though that 'someone' has moaned. Never underestimate a permies ability to act like a little girl if they think the big bad contractor is getting something they're not (i.e like contractor is seen to go home on time).

From the manager dudes point of view, he might be quite happy with you, and ready to keep you on but now hes got a whingy permie to deal with. If he can cajole/hassle you into working longer hours then permie stops moaning (maybe), he gets more work for his money, everyone happy (apart from contractor). Win-win for manager though.

Of course, contractor may say sod that you can stuff your extension but thats a chance manager takes. Balancing act....

This & this I can personally vouch for on most contracts I have done!! One contract I was on about 5 years ago the perms moaned so me & 2 other contractors had to work an extra hour a day...then the perms started to leave early an hour a day (when the manager had gone home first that is) taking it in turns covering their own backs!

[Elliegirl]

I personally like to mess with everyone's heads by working with my rather random body clock.
So there'll be times when I do 7.30-7pm, 7.00-5pm, or 9-5pm for example. Then I'll answer emails at 6 am or 10pm, depending on how I feel. I get comments initially but then people get used to it. The thing is to be around for important meeting and focus on delivery. Works for me.

[psychocandy]

I think that this is a really easy one to answer.

If your contract says that you need to be there 37.5 hours a week and they only pay you that amount then every hour extra you do is effectively lowering your hourly rate.

I'm taking a guess at day rate..

£400 / 7.5 hours = £53/h
£400 / 9 hours = £44/h (based on a 37.5 hour contract that puts your day rate at £330)

Are you willing to take almost a £70 a day pay cut just because some of the permies are doing an extra 1.5 hours a day? I know what my answer would be.

I agree. My take is always if its an emergency then fair enough I will stay. If I work extra hours because of this then its 'nice' if client recognises this. i.e. if I want to take a few hours another day for whatever reason.

If client expects me to stay for 3-4 hours in an emergency and I do then moans if I tell them I'll be in at 11 because of a dentist appt then I'm less likely to respond to the next emergency.

BUT if its a resource issue then hey ho. If permies want to work extra to get their promotion, bonus sorted then crack on. Not me.

[psychocandy]

This & this I can personally vouch for on most contracts I have done!! One contract I was on about 5 years ago the perms moaned so me & 2 other contractors had to work an extra hour a day...then the perms started to leave early an hour a day (when the manager had gone home first that is) taking it in turns covering their own backs!

So someone TOLD you to do this? Sorry but not way Jose.

[psychocandy]

I personally like to mess with everyone's heads by working with my rather random body clock.
So there'll be times when I do 7.30-7pm, 7.00-5pm, or 9-5pm for example. Then I'll answer emails at 6 am or 10pm, depending on how I feel. I get comments initially but then people get used to it. The thing is to be around for important meeting and focus on delivery. Works for me.

You didnt mention 11-2 there though ;-)

[LondonManc]

60 hours week and he gets same as me doing 37.5 hours per week. Call it £400 a day say. He gets to stay for 6 months I get canned after 3 months. Assume 60 days per quarter.

So he works 120 days at 12 hours per day = 1440 hours. 120 days at £400 = £48000. £33.33 per hour.

Me. 60 days at 7.5 hours per day = 450 hours. 60 days at £400 = £24000. £53.33 per hour.

Sorry I'd rather earn £24K over three months at £50+ per hour, then get something else rather than work myself to death for £48K over six months at £33 an hour.

Or, he earns 2k a week for six months.
You got 2k a week for three months and £70 a week JSA for three months.

You're obsession with an hourly rate is disturbing.

[psychocandy]

Or, he earns 2k a week for six months.
You got 2k a week for three months and £70 a week JSA for three months.

You're obsession with an hourly rate is disturbing.

No its just I'd rather spend my time doing stuff I want to do rather than let client dictate extras for me.

And for the record, no never. Only time I claimed JSA was years ago when a contract ended as it was always planned.

Anyway whats a warchest/JSA for? I certainly dont plan to bend over and take it from clients just so I can be richer and richer. Sod that.

[gables]

I think that this is a really easy one to answer.

If your contract says that you need to be there 37.5 hours a week and they only pay you that amount then every hour extra you do is effectively lowering your hourly rate.

I'm taking a guess at day rate..

£400 / 7.5 hours = £53/h
£400 / 9 hours = £44/h (based on a 37.5 hour contract that puts your day rate at £330)

Are you willing to take almost a £70 a day pay cut just because some of the permies are doing an extra 1.5 hours a day? I know what my answer would be.

Well yes, the hour rate is 'effectively' being reduced but the actual invoice amount is the same, so not a pay cut in real terms.

Having said that I would be very reluctant to (probably wouldn't) increase my hours from 7.5 to 9 on a regular basis. But I would talk with him to get to the root of the issue.

[Snarf]

Well yes, the hour rate is 'effectively' being reduced but the actual invoice amount is the same, so not a pay cut in real terms.

Having said that I would be very reluctant to (probably wouldn't) increase my hours from 7.5 to 9 on a regular basis. But I would talk with him to get to the root of the issue.

Yeah the invoice amount is the same but that's the problem, unless your contracted and paid on delivery of a product rather than on time you're working for nothing..

Taking it to extremes, imagine a minimum wage worker contract says 40 hours a week.. Manager says do 50 or find a new job... Hourly rate effectively becomes less than min wage...
That example is from a period early in my career where a 54 hour week but getting paid for 35 was was expected.