How do you handle disgruntled permanent staff and management

[northernladuk]

As a contractor and independent business man, this most certainly does not apply. They can say/write whatever they like about you and unless it's provably untrue you can't do much about it, even if you could prove it, it would cost so much as to make it not worth bothering with.

Most agencies have a blanket policy to not do anymore than what you describe, but legally they could give quite accurate and tulipty references for contractors if they desired.

Why doesn't apply? If they say something that's untrue or you dispute you can get them in just as much trouble. Legally they can but they've nothing to gain and a lot to lose so they just don't.

[uk contractor]

OP sadly this is not uncommon at all! All you can do is either remain polite keep billing do what they ask within reason whilst looking elsewhere for another role or tough it out. But by the sound of things your already on borrowed time they will either be looking for someone else already behind your back or waiting or you to quit to save them sacking you.

Contracting is a very harsh environment at times due to jealous perms mainly & or arrogant, difficult managers. This is what we do as contractors rise above it if possible & or man up & look for something else. It does not even matter if your in the right or not its their money, their toys, they have all the control & power your just a well paid (compared to perms) hired hand expected to deal with whatever they throw at you.

It sounds like an unpleasant place to work anyway your better off somewhere more friendly as regardless of money its not pleasant to have to deal with negativity in this instance & you have no real legal rights onsite that are easily enforceable as HR are not really there for you even though they would be sympathetic.

[missinggreenfields]

Do I..

• Say, say nothing, keep invoicing and wait for the inevitable termination
• Address the issue with the manager, even though the senior dev is his best bud and try to explain the situation even though I'm also uncomfortable with the manager after his unwarranted outburst on Friday.
• Walk away with my dignity and tell them I'm not happy taking s##t

You stand up in the middle of the rant, put your coat on, get your stuff and walk out of the building. When they say "where the **** are you going?" you give them your pass back, tell them to shove the project and you aren't putting up with it any more.

Wish them the best of luck, keep walking, throw your pass back at them and move on to pastures new.

[SueEllen]

Because you would need to sue them for Libel (written) or Slander (spoken) - You need very very deep pockets for that one. The very substantial risk that you may win the judgement, but not the costs could most likely bankrupt you.

You can't take them to an Employment Tribunal as you are not an Employee (surprised I need to tell you this).

So a simple subjective reference that said, the client didn't feel you were a people person and the quality of your work didn't meet their internal standards could be very damming, but not libellous.

You could still sue them over that.

And both of you could be left out of pocket in lawyers costs.

[Hobosapien]

It's a bit naff that having a nice car, or rather having a nicer car than someone else, should cause this much bother.

It could just have easily have been triggered by you wearing a nice new pair of shoes. Jealousy will find a way if they're that way inclined.

Maybe with so many people leasing cars these days that it's only the obviously flashy motor that will cause issues. So a banger these days may be overplaying it, as they have their own issues such as not getting you to the client site reliably.

[LondonManc]

Get yourself on the market, get something new and give them due notice. Keep rinsing them for the cash in the meantime, to help them hate you more.

[Lance]

Sounds like they've brought you in to fail.

Could well be that they've requested more resource and been turned down and told to use temporary resource due to budget.
Manager brings you in and lets/makes you screw up so he can be 'right'.

Leave.

[northernladuk]

Because you would need to sue them for Libel (written) or Slander (spoken) - You need very very deep pockets for that one. The very substantial risk that you may win the judgement, but not the costs could most likely bankrupt you.

You can't take them to an Employment Tribunal as you are not an Employee (surprised I need to tell you this).

So a simple subjective reference that said, the client didn't feel you were a people person and the quality of your work didn't meet their internal standards could be very damming, but not libellous.

Ah right got you. Yes you are correct but it's something the clients risk people won't want however unlikely so the message will be give dates and times and thats it. They are meeting their legal obligations without the risk. That's even if they give them for contractors which many won't.

[LondonManc]

Ah right got you. Yes you are correct but it's something the clients risk people won't want however unlikely so the message will be give dates and times and thats it. They are meeting their legal obligations without the risk. That's even if they give them for contractors which many won't.

More to the point, if word gets round that a client or agency slag contractors off, they'll find it's not good for getting other contractors on board, no matter how valid the original slagging off was.

[northernladuk]

Out of interest I've just queried this with a contact at my PS clients HR and there policy is clear. Job held, start and end dates and nothing more. No personal opinion/character type comments are allowed.