Help needed!

[Vanessa25]

My second contract so shocked! Can I not go to a tribunal or do them for ill treatment, emotional and reputational damage?

Yes initially I was given a months notice and then 2 weeks later walked out.

[MrMarkyMark]

My second contract so shocked! Can I not go to a tribunal or do them for ill treatment, emotional and reputational damage?

Yes initially I was given a months notice and then 2 weeks later walked out.

No.

It looked over 2 from the way you wrote your post.

I recently signed a 6 month lease based on a secured contract which was signed for 6 months. 3 Months into the contract the client decided to give a few contracts notice (a month) and the reason was that there is little work left - they are keeping on a few other contractors as apparently they are cheaper. This was quite shocking to me as did not see this coming and the fact that I signed a 6 month lease based on a 6 month contract.

A few weeks after that I received a call from my agency who informed me that HR has received a complaint from the manager that the contractors through this agency have been discussing rates with other contracts and this is causing unnecessary disruption amongst the team. As far as I know I haven't specifically gone to others and discussed rates, if there was any rate discussion that was a 2 way conversation from that other person too. Is is common to be giving a warning through HR to your agency for the discussion of rates? My experience to date is that many contractors do discuss rates.

Furthermore, a week after this myself and a couple of other contractors were terminated on the spot

[SueEllen]

Can someone explain why I have no rights and cannot challenge this unfair treatment?

You discussed rates on the contract - which you haven't denied - and so the client can argue that it caused disruption to their workforce so they walked you off site.

As they have all the people who can provide "evidence" it is your word against two or three other people. As civil cases are won on the balance of probabilities you lose.

You can only win a case against a company if you have proof e.g. documents that show you didn't do what is claimed.

This goes whether you are permanent, temp or contractor. In the latter two cases it's better to find another role then spend energy fighting a legal case.

[Mincepie]

Sounds to me like they ran out of money. Wipe your mouth and move on

[gables]

As a contractor there is no obligation for your end client to provide you with work, nor is there any obligation for you to accept it.

That is why they can serve you notice and asked you to leave. You have to understand that it's not personal no matter how much it feels that it is, to calm down and start looking for something new

You see, I understand this, it's part of contracting.

So why do clients (going by the stories we see on here) cite\look for other reasons to lose you (e.g discussing rates, true or not) rather than just say 'we have no more work for you, cheerio' ??

[Mincepie]

You see, I understand this, it's part of contracting.

So why do clients (going by the stories we see on here) cite\look for other reasons to lose you (e.g discussing rates, true or not) rather than just say 'we have no more work for you, cheerio' ??

Most clients i work with dont have a clue how contracting works or what is in the contract. Most of the time they start off by treating you as a permie and you have to politely and firmly train them up about how we work and what we will and wont do. I suspect in this case the client didn't realize they could simply say "no more work, thanks but goodbye" and came up with this stuff.

[gables]

Most clients i work with dont have a clue how contracting works or what is in the contract. Most of the time they start off by treating you as a permie and you have to politely and firmly train them up about how we work and what we will and wont do. I suspect in this case the client didn't realize they could simply say "no more work, thanks but goodbye" and came up with this stuff.

That's a good point, I'd forgotten we read the contract, whereas the hiring manager probably doesn't and so applies permie thinking to how to go about it.

[northernladuk]

My second contract so shocked! Can I not go to a tribunal or do them for ill treatment, emotional and reputational damage?

Yes initially I was given a months notice and then 2 weeks later walked out.

Emotional and reputational damage? Seriously? :

You are a flexible resource brought in under term ofna contract you signed. You have legal comeback if they breach but apart from that you are on your own. It's part of being a business so it's time to start thinking and acting like one. It's not all a bed of roses and that's why the rates reflect that over perm roles.

Did you complain about the fact you had a lease and now you've been canned in site? Been a bit obstroculous and moaned about it? I suspect you did and clients don't like that either. That's not their business. You just look like a trouble maker if you did.

You are done there. Too late to argue if it's fair or not, and actually spent matter. What's done is done. Time to move on..

Didn't read everything but discussing rates never ends well. It can ruin what is a perfectly good gig. If you are happy one day and then find out the guy opposite is on 50 quid a day its going to go wrong. It's your business and no one else's.

[northernladuk]

Look on the bright side. This is a very valuable lesson and will be very useful to you to know in the future. If you take note and don't do things you did in this cobtract you could be in gigs longer than you would otherwise. Sometimes the best way to learn stuff is the hard way.

[SueEllen]

That's a good point, I'd forgotten we read the contract, whereas the hiring manager probably doesn't and so applies permie thinking to how to go about it.

The hiring manager has a contract with the agency.

Only some clued up hiring managers demand what clauses can and can't go into the contract of the contractor. Most presume agents are honest.