When is a 6 month contract not a 6 month contract...

[blueislander]

Hi all,

Am coming up to 4 months worked on a 6 month contract for a London bank. Was told there was an enforced leave of 2 weeks over xmas (annoying but par for the course).

Have now been told mid Dec is last day on the job as they have enforced leave and then no budget for the remainder of my contract in January.

I’m v annoyed because Dec/Jan is not the time to be off, it’s harder to find a role, companies are in party mode and have no budget. Do I have any course to argue this early termination? The contract states 2 weeks notice but they aren’t actually doing that, just stating that 4 weeks time is when the money runs out. Have emailed HR for some clarification on this - boss is just a shrug shoulders "hands are tied" guy - but ultimately he must have known he had no budget when they brought me in?!?

Very annoyed as a) it makes me look like I couldn’t finish a contract and b) I turned down a longer-term role for this and have no desire to be talking to agencies again.

Probably no recourse here at all so just ranting.

[WTFH]

Rant accepted, but...


Dec/Jan is a GREAT time to be off - many companies start new projects in January. Far better to be able to put your feelers out before year end, than half way through January.

[MrMarkyMark]

Am coming up to 4 months worked on a 6 month contract for a London bank

All banks are barstewards, have you not worked that out yet?

The contract states 2 weeks notice but they aren’t actually doing that, just stating that 4 weeks time is when the money runs out.

And your problem with that is, exactly?

and have no desire to be talking to agencies again.

Better get the desire back fast, unless you have any other opportunities you can rely on.

HTH.

[LondonManc]

They've given you more notice than they had to. Count yourself lucky.

[blueislander]

Rant accepted, but...


Dec/Jan is a GREAT time to be off - many companies start new projects in January. Far better to be able to put your feelers out before year end, than half way through January.

Feelers are out - I would just rather work through rubbish weather and enjoy a break in the summer.

As I say, I don't have a specific complaint really, aside from mismanaging their budget, more just venting. Never ever had a contract finish early, so it grinds my gears.

[northernladuk]

Definitely NCOTBAC.

Luckily most people with a decent set of cojones don't feel the need to rant about stuff that's part and parcel of what we do or we'd be knee deep in rants.

Can a Mod move this to general. I believe Brillo might be able help.

[TheFaQQer]

When is a 6 month contract not a 6 month contract...

All the time. That's why we aren't permies.

Do I have any course to argue this early termination?

No - unless your contract gives you the right to be paid but not actually have to work (like a permie in fact).

Very annoyed as a) it makes me look like I couldn’t finish a contract

Why? The contract finished, that's the end of it. Since it finishes at the end of the year, why would anyone assume that you couldn't finish a contract?

and b) I turned down a longer-term role for this and have no desire to be talking to agencies again.

Turning down other work to accept this one is the nature of the beast - would you be complaining if the contract had been extended? And the way to avoid agencies is to find other channels to get work - then you never have to deal with them again.

[WTFH]

Feelers are out - I would just rather work through rubbish weather and enjoy a break in the summer.

As I say, I don't have a specific complaint really, aside from mismanaging their budget, more just venting. Never ever had a contract finish early, so it grinds my gears.

Shock horror: banks mismanage money.


As for working through rubbish weather, if you don't need a job for a few weeks and don't want to be looking, go on holiday, either skiing or head to the sun. South Africa is dirt cheap these days (apart from the flights)

[blueislander]

Why? The contract finished, that's the end of it. Since it finishes at the end of the year, why would anyone assume that you couldn't finish a contract?

Contracts are 6 months in IB the vast majority of the time. Anything less than 6 full months sometimes looks a bit funky - IT etc can be different but London banking normally works on 3 or 6 months.

[blueislander]

Definitely NCOTBAC.

Luckily most people with a decent set of cojones don't feel the need to rant about stuff that's part and parcel of what we do or we'd be knee deep in rants.

Can a Mod move this to general. I believe Brillo might be able help.

forgive me but what does NCOTBAC mean?

I have a perfectly decent set of cajones thanks - if I wanted to rant I would have a darn sight more posts than I do, the things I've seen in this industry