Mandatory Contractor Furlough

[BackupBoy]

Agent email just in:

"Good Afternoon,

<clientco> has communicated to us that they are instituting a mandatory furlough to be taken by all non-billable and unit rate billable contractors every quarter throughout the Financial year

For quarter 2 the expectation is that a 5-day Furlough will be taken prior to Friday 30th September 2016 which we understand you have already been advised of by your <clientco> manager.

(Er, no)

Overtime for subcontractor’s subject to furlough will be suspended for the rest of Q2 - Overtime cannot be approved for subcontractors to make up time lost to furlough. It is expected there should be no exceptions to this mandate, but any strong business critical exceptions will be reviewed internally by <clientco>and advised in due course"

Hilarious, unworkable and "complete bollocks" was my clientco managers response.

Of course, by then, most of us were already in the car park, twirling our keys.

[DaveB]

Agent email just in:

"Good Afternoon,

<clientco> has communicated to us that they are instituting a mandatory furlough to be taken by all non-billable and unit rate billable contractors every quarter throughout the Financial year

For quarter 2 the expectation is that a 5-day Furlough will be taken prior to Friday 30th September 2016 which we understand you have already been advised of by your <clientco> manager.

(Er, no)

Overtime for subcontractor’s subject to furlough will be suspended for the rest of Q2 - Overtime cannot be approved for subcontractors to make up time lost to furlough. It is expected there should be no exceptions to this mandate, but any strong business critical exceptions will be reviewed internally by <clientco>and advised in due course"

Hilarious, unworkable and "complete bollocks" was my clientco managers response.

Of course, by then, most of us were already in the car park, twirling our keys.

File it for your IR35 defence and carry on.

[eek]

File it for your IR35 defence and carry on.

+1... I can't think of any quarter where I wouldn't have 5 days off... Work to live, not live to work...

[kaiser78]

This is common practise in the contracting world, especially around the end of the year, so don't fret about it. Just enjoy the time off.

[SimonMac]

+1... I can't think of any quarter where I wouldn't have 5 days off... Work to live, not live to work...

I don't usually take time off during a contract, and when I do it will only be one or two days, if they are saying I need to take 5 days in a row I will take half term and enjoy it.

[BackupBoy]

This is common practise in the contracting world, especially around the end of the year, so don't fret about it. Just enjoy the time off.

I'm not fretting. It's just completely unworkable here.

[Scruff]

I'm not fretting. It's just completely unworkable here.

That's the joy of being a Contractor, it isn't your problem if it isn't workable. Damagement decision.

[sal]

That's the joy of being a Contractor, it isn't your problem if it isn't workable. Damagement decision.

^This, keep calm and keep invoicing. Start looking for a new gig if it bug you so much. The mandatory time off will allow you to attend interviews.

[LondonManc]

I'm not fretting. It's just completely unworkable here.

IR35 defence plus - almost a silver bullet in terms of being treated differently.

As for unworkable, it's up to your manager to get overtime authorised for you. Budget for the five days out and take it from there.

I've got to take two weeks out by the end of the year. I've figured one of them out already.

[Crossroads]

Pretty standard where I am currently, albeit the number of days, whether they have to be consecutive and the amount of notice given varies depending upon the direction of the wind, company share price, recent fines/criminal investigations, market volatility and a host of other reasons that make it near impossible to predict.

My strategy:
- schedule the time off when it works for me, or if I don't have any need to take it, schedule it for the last possible week
- use the time to have a much needed but oft overlooked holiday
- put a bit more effort into my other (part time) clients

It is frustrating when there are deadlines to be met but ultimately if my client wants to make stupid decisions to meet short term internal financial targets I'll let them.