That old chestnut - contractors and oncall

[psychocandy]

Generally I try to avoid it because, in my experience, clients are never willing to pay contractor rates for this. They might pay a day rate thats 3x what the permies get in salary but try getting 3x what the permies get for oncall. Very rare.

Of course, if you're in an inside gig via umbrella, £100 (example) to you is less in your pocket (because you have to pay employer NI out of this) than if you pay £100 to a permie. But clients don't get this.

My approach has always been, yes I'll help out occasionally, even do it for free now and again. Sort of like a "good will" added extra thing. Of course, depends on the client, if they're a nightmare then I don't offer. Also depends how hard the on call is.

Current client is excellent. On call is easy. So I do on call on an occasional basis. We have a gentlemans agreement for TOIL if I do it but, in all honesty, its not a great deal but I do it as a favour. To be honest, as above the permies probably get more in their pocket for a days oncall than I do in effect. But they're base salaries are appalling so this is one of their perks I guess.

Found out yesterday that another contractor in another team gets 1/2 the TOIL that I do and does it one week in two. Insane. Rather him than me.

Just wondering how everyone else deals with it?

1) Refuse to do on call.
2) Do it for free.
3) Do it like me - for crap TOIL deal.
4) Insist on proper rate for on call (like 3x perm rate).

[SorenLorensen]

Refuse.

[WTFH]

On call = billable, if it's short term - e.g. hypercare.

If they want a quick response time, meaning I cannot do anything else (maybe just watch TV, tidy house etc), then they get billed at standard rate. That's the generous offer I would propose - I won't charge double time or anything like that, just my standard rate, but if they don't call me, they still have to pay.

Now, if it was an on-call contract, I'd probably specify a "waiting" rate of 25-50% of my daily rate, and then an hourly rate on top of that, whereby if I did more than 4 hours work in a day it would cost them more than if they had just paid me a day's rate to start off with.

[uk contractor]

Refuse if it all possible as most of the time the client takes the mick & wants everything for free including other out of hours work.

[Lance]

work from home and 2 hours = half a day
4 hours is a full day

send regular email updates with test results (Outlook has a timer for email sending), that reflect the times billed.


simples.

[vwdan]

Doesn't really come up for me, but I did get asked once - told em that it just felt too close to the IR35 line for me.

[psychocandy]

On call = billable, if it's short term - e.g. hypercare.

If they want a quick response time, meaning I cannot do anything else (maybe just watch TV, tidy house etc), then they get billed at standard rate. That's the generous offer I would propose - I won't charge double time or anything like that, just my standard rate, but if they don't call me, they still have to pay.

Now, if it was an on-call contract, I'd probably specify a "waiting" rate of 25-50% of my daily rate, and then an hourly rate on top of that, whereby if I did more than 4 hours work in a day it would cost them more than if they had just paid me a day's rate to start off with.

Not many clients will agree to 25-50% of daily rate.

[psychocandy]

Doesn't really come up for me, but I did get asked once - told em that it just felt too close to the IR35 line for me.

Of course but not relevant for some in PS gigs.

[WTFH]

Not many clients will agree to 25-50% of daily rate.

Maybe not many of your clients - that's either due to the customer having a low opinion of the supplier, or the supplier being a poor negotiator.

[psychocandy]

Refuse if it all possible as most of the time the client takes the mick & wants everything for free including other out of hours work.

True but going to plumber analogy...

How many times have you paid a plumber to do something and they've done something for free? Like fixed a leaky tap because A) it was no hassle for them and B) it makes them look good and you're going to be happy.

In my book you have to include the intangible benefits. Refuse point blank and client is going to be a little miffed. Do it as a favour then they're going to be happy. Of course, there are limits here.