Used and abused

[SussexSeagull]

Part of the game i'm afraid. Bit naughty of them to invoke a clause which is plainly rubbish because you had helped delivered the project though.

Make sure you get paid up to the point you let and move on.

[GB9]

Bit concerned about how my last contract finished and wanted to seek advice. The place I was working was fiercely anti-contractor, but needed my skills so got budget approval. I got on okay with the permies, but there was always that simmering anti-contractorness. The permies was low paid, and pretty low skilled so it did make my job more difficult but I toughed it out.

The project was delivered, and although my contracted end date ran on 6 weeks past the delivery date I was assured all the way along that my contracted term would be honoured. I couldn't see why they would want to keep me past this point, but another 6 weeks money to top up the warchest seemed ok to me.

Now the contract stated 2 weeks notice either side. Since the project was delivered, I've not had too much to do, then one evening I got a call from my pimp telling me they had terminated my contract with immediate effect. No reasons given other than ClientCo "raised some concerns" although apparently the agent doesn't have to go into details.

My concern is how to package this up on my CV, and how to talk about it with agencies and future clients. I mean, I did the work, and ex ClientCo is benefitting from all my hard work, so why they treated me in this way I have no idea. Perhaps I peed someone off. In any case it's irrelevant, I am still a bit shocked as it came out of nowhere.

Personally I would make their life hell for this as it sounds like they were claiming you had done something wrong just to avoid the notice period.

I'm of the opinion that no work equals no money and that notice periods are irrelevant, so if a client came to me and said, "you've done nothing wrong, but as of now we don't need you", then that would be fine. But letting you finish and then claiming there was some sort of problem is just not on.

On a practical note, when the next agent asks why you left, just tell them the work finished. Even if there genuinely was a problem, I doubt anyone would say anything to a different agency for fear of being sued.

Carry insurance for everything, including agencies withholding fees.

[Lancer2016]

Well thats contracting for you

Dont worry about your next client co asking all the details regarding start and end dates to precision,just mention the project you worked for and that it was delevered,references can be given by the agency too a

[psychocandy]

Bit concerned about how my last contract finished and wanted to seek advice. The place I was working was fiercely anti-contractor, but needed my skills so got budget approval. I got on okay with the permies, but there was always that simmering anti-contractorness. The permies was low paid, and pretty low skilled so it did make my job more difficult but I toughed it out.

The project was delivered, and although my contracted end date ran on 6 weeks past the delivery date I was assured all the way along that my contracted term would be honoured. I couldn't see why they would want to keep me past this point, but another 6 weeks money to top up the warchest seemed ok to me.

Now the contract stated 2 weeks notice either side. Since the project was delivered, I've not had too much to do, then one evening I got a call from my pimp telling me they had terminated my contract with immediate effect. No reasons given other than ClientCo "raised some concerns" although apparently the agent doesn't have to go into details.

My concern is how to package this up on my CV, and how to talk about it with agencies and future clients. I mean, I did the work, and ex ClientCo is benefitting from all my hard work, so why they treated me in this way I have no idea. Perhaps I peed someone off. In any case it's irrelevant, I am still a bit shocked as it came out of nowhere.

OP - client fancied saving some money, couldnt be arsed to tell the truth neither could agent so they made up some crap.

I had an otherwise good gig like this. It was around one particular day, so they got tons of people in just in case it went wrong. The D-day was a thursday. That week they'd got people to work 12 hours, work nights etc. All went ok so as soon as Friday came they gave everyone the boot early.

This was fair enough. BUT they'd arranged 12 hour shifts etc for the friday too so people came in as planned. Tried to short change people are refuse to pay more than the 8 hours (they'd previously agreed to pay 1.5x).

I heard a rumour of one guy driving 200 miles for his night shift on friday only to be stopped at reception where they'd left him a note telling him they didnt need him to work after all.

I thought this was a bit much. As soon as it went ok there was an obvious scrabble to save as much money as possible rather than be fair.

[SimonMac]

As the notice period is only two weeks I would kick up a bit of a fuss but not take it too much to heart, ply it on with the agent (who your contract is with remember not the client) that you are disappointed they work with such a disreputable client, might guilt trip them into remembering your name when a suitable contract comes up, but short of that life is too short to worry, as long as you have been paid for the work you have done you can't ask for more.

Don't worry about references, most anyone gives these days are confirmation of when you worked for them and your job title.

[LondonManc]

Poor communication to finish off with - would have been nice to give you a chance to get the Krispy Kremes in to leave on a more positive note. Still, there are no comebacks and it looks better, arguably bulletproof, for IR35 that you've been culled as soon as you've delivered what's been asked of you (MoO).

Chin up, move on and get looking. You're not the first to be finished like this and won't be the last, as others have already testified.

Delivered project, went offsite early - it could be a big plus for you if future clients know that you're prepared to do so (even though it wasn't of your choosing this time, nothing to stop you doing it in future).

[lukemg]

They sound like bellends, but otherwise this is a chalk up to experience job I reckon.
Forget references, they dont exist, polish up CV put the outcome of the project on and stick to saying it was done and dusted so we agreed I would leave.
Now, lots of companies would keep people ticking over for a while afterwards (its just easier for middle managers to keep people than get new budgets approved) but really, all contracts should work like this, your plumber doesn't keep turning up after the new bath is finished....

[theroyale]

I think you should be happy rather than annoyed. This is the perfect contracting world. The problem is, some people think of this as employment where as it isnt. The end client can hire and fire whenever it suits them. This flexibility is what makes contracting market so attractive. When a project nears completion or when I have handed over day to day running to a team, I normally hint to the client that they dont need me anymore and they are wasting money in keeping me.

This. Now, if only agents started seeing it the same way, life would be perfect.

[northernladuk]

That's a good shout - has anyone ever done this and been compensated through IPSE ?

Yeah I believe PC got a day out of them but I think that was for a contract being canned before it started. Still business interruption caused by the agent not honouring the contract. I did ask about the no timesheet no pay and I'm sure the insurance guy said it didn't really matter, it still counted.

[northernladuk]

This. Now, if only agents started seeing it the same way, life would be perfect.

Why would you need the agent to think this way? They don't know anything about the deliverables and don't have the decision to stop supplying to the client? I don't understand.