Gig Cancelled Immediately After Signing Contract

[vadhert]

What's the notice period? They have to pay you that as you signed a binding document. Otherwise sue the agency and the client into the ground.

Back on Earth we would just roll onto getting a new gig but hey ho.

[Unix]

Well the fact you mentioned suing the client makes your original state wrong as was pointed out. You have no contractual relationship with the client so can't sue them. Contractors not having balls is a different argument.

Also, a general rule of thumb. If someone bands the 'Sue everyone involved' line around it means they've never sued anyone and don't understand the process. There are much more effective lines before going straight for the sue line.
That's not even getting in to a discussion about what he's losses his suing for etc etc

You threaten litigation, it soon makes them pay up.

[Lance]

You threaten litigation, it soon makes them pay up.

if they actually owe it, and you threaten, thy may well pay up.

In this case they don't owe anyone anything, except maybe an apology.

[northernladuk]

You threaten litigation, it soon makes them pay up.

Only if you go through the process of negotiation, dunning and then escalate. If you go in and demand your money or you'll sue them they'll have a right old laugh. Anyone that has half a clue of these situations knows it's a who blinks first game to start with. Threatening to sue them from the off shows that person doesn't really know the game.

IMO getting a signed for letter on the topic is going to worry an agent more than a ranting mail threating to sue them. Shows a calm measured approach which will worry him more, particularly if it's from a solicitor.

Anyway.. all a bit irrelevant in this case.

[uk contractor]

OP if you turned down £380 a day I think you will find in 6 months when your still sitting on the bench it was a very poor decision to make. Do you even understand how many people are waiting on the bench to jump into roles which pay even less than £380 a day?

[rogerfederer]

OP if you turned down £380 a day I think you will find in 6 months when your still sitting on the bench it was a very poor decision to make. Do you even understand how many people are waiting on the bench to jump into roles which pay even less than £380 a day?

This is nonsense. Supply/Demand.

You probably don't even have similar skills to this poster, so why assume someone is able to jump straight into it? It's attitudes like this that dumb down the market.

You personally need to reskill, add skills, enter into other areas linked to your base area of knowledge. Chill out. Go on holiday. Life goes on, even during the hard economic times back home.

[hairymouse]

OP if you turned down £380 a day I think you will find in 6 months when your still sitting on the bench it was a very poor decision to make. Do you even understand how many people are waiting on the bench to jump into roles which pay even less than £380 a day?

That's not been my experience in the current market. I see lots of roles for ETL / Data warehousing at £500 a day. I've been looking for roughly a month and have had lots of calls, two meetings with potential clients and one (bogus) offer. Knock on wood, but I don't think I'm still going to be on the bench in 6 months.

[hairymouse]

Well, it just so happens I do have the client's Linked In. Maybe I'll shoot him a quick note just to connect.

[hairymouse]

I'm assuming you haven't read the OP's contract.

If I remember correctly, there was zero notice period during the first month or something. I never really expected anyone to pay me for not working. An apology would have been nice as someone else mentioned.

[Unix]

if they actually owe it, and you threaten, thy may well pay up.

In this case they don't owe anyone anything, except maybe an apology.

They wasted his time, lied about the rate and he could have being earning elsewhere. I would go for 1 month worth of Daily Rate plus 50% of the full contract value. Start high and let them negotiate down. Hardball