Advice - no work to do, client sending me home

[psychocandy]

Unless there are bank holidays and you won't be expected to be paid for them? Depends on what you mean by expectation really as well. If you are dead set on that expectation then you are heading for disappointment at some point. Expecting it but only being slightly disappointed if it happens because it's what we do would be fine.



Can't argue with that really but there are situations that if you read properly this isn't as big an issue as it appears. It's a risk for sure but if the option is sitting on the bench doing nothing then it's not the worst option. 6 weeks is really pushing it to be fair though.


I seem to remember you weren't squeeky clean in the whole carry on by not checking your own SC status and making sure you knew what was going on? And they think your usefullness is limited until SC. Imagine their disappointment after it's sorted

OK apart from Bank Holidays. Come on NLUK - how many of us have had gigs where the client randomly decides to save money and send you home for the week? Of course, its better than being on the bench but, market conditions dependant, would you not consider an alternative to a client who pulls this one.

The client is question with the renewal had a bad record with renewals. More than one contractor worked the extra week after renewal only to be told "Ah sorry we can't get the budget and we can't pay you for this week either". So I wasnt going to do it for 6 weeks.

Quite funny for you NLUK as well.... Never mind eh? Got 4 weeks so far before they find out the truth lol.

[psychocandy]

Most definitely start looking. You've got nothing to lose. Two things could happen with your client. They suddenly pop up with work soon then fine or they carry this on for two or more weeks and you've nothing. At least looking in the mean time if the latter happens you're already looking. You have zero decision to make at this point as you've nothing on the table. Get some options and then make the decision. Sitting around doing nothing at all isn't helping you one iota.

And to be fair, you really need to be shot of this lot so get looking.

Id agree with nluk here. Arrghh!

Got to get some options....

[northernladuk]

OK apart from Bank Holidays. Come on NLUK - how many of us have had gigs where the client randomly decides to save money and send you home for the week? Of course, its better than being on the bench but, market conditions dependant, would you not consider an alternative to a client who pulls this one.

Every single one off us that has had been asked not to come in over xmas.

[TheDude]

Every single one off us that has had been asked not to come in over xmas.

I have had exemptions for the last two years!

[d000hg]

Every single one off us that has had been asked not to come in over xmas.

That's not random, that's an annual process though? How common is this? I have a client who closes over the holidays but that's for everyone, not just contractors.

[SueEllen]

OK apart from Bank Holidays. Come on NLUK - how many of us have had gigs where the client randomly decides to save money and send you home for the week? Of course, its better than being on the bench but, market conditions dependant, would you not consider an alternative to a client who pulls this one.

One of my clients did that due for office politics reasons. The 2 weeks off meant I got an extra 4 months as I did the "expert" work the other person was suppose to be doing.

[northernladuk]

That's not random, that's an annual process though? How common is this? I have a client who closes over the holidays but that's for everyone, not just contractors.

It's still exactly the same clause used in the contract so we've all be told to go home and not get paid. Just trying to make that point..

One of my clients did that due for office politics reasons. The 2 weeks off meant I got an extra 4 months as I did the "expert" work the other person was suppose to be doing.

I am sure I heard some banks have done it balance year end numbers and I've also see some client that have a maximum number of billing days in a year and some contractors who never took holidays that to have a couple of weeks off as they had met the max. There are many examples of this type of thing happening. Just kinda lucky if you've managed to avoid them all.

[d000hg]

It's still exactly the same clause used in the contract so we've all be told to go home and not get paid. Just trying to make that point...

Do they tell you when you are sorting the contract or just send out a memo in December? The former seems more like something you might get in your official schedule of work... but I imagine it's typically the latter?

[northernladuk]

Do they tell you when you are sorting the contract or just send out a memo in December? The former seems more like something you might get in your official schedule of work... but I imagine it's typically the latter?

Never seen it in a schedule or contract. I personally ask the question not long after starting. I tend to need to know business periods like profit protection and change freezes early on so always ask what the score is over xmas at the same time. Helps me plan to try be busy over that period so I can get an exemption and work.

In the few cases where the do an official confirmation tends to be an email to all contractors mid to late Nov from what I remember.

[PerfectStorm]

Never wait for a flakey client (or prospect) to give you final confirmation that you should at least look for new work. Getting your availability around the market takes time - start now. You'll either be on the way to lining something up or have to say "sorry no" to someone. But don't do nothing.