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Contrator Length

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    Contrator Length

    Hi all forgive me for being a noob I have the following query

    If I sign a contract which stipulates a minimum contract length period. eg. 3 months. If the work I do for the client is completed in under 3 months do they still pay me for the 3 months? Or do they simply give me my "notice period" and end the contract that way?

    My thinking is they should perhaps pay me the full 3 months, its akin to signing a contract for a mobile phone. If after 1 month you don't want it anymore you are still obligated to pay the remaining 11 months.

    Regards,

    Jonah

    #2
    You'll work for 3 months - believe me. Even if it means you making the tea for the last 2 weeks.
    Blood in your poo

    Comment


      #3
      It's one of those oddities: we all say it's project based, yet work on fixed terms.

      Nothing to stop you negotiating a fixed price, but most contract work is paid per hour/day. Which means it's not in your interest to work too hard.

      If you do finish everything early, chances are you'll manage to keep turning up as you want the money and the manager will bury his head in the sand rather than deal with the situation.
      Will work inside IR35. Or for food.

      Comment


        #4
        Contrator Length? Titter, fnarr fnarr.

        Shouldn't this be in Light Relief?

        Comment


          #5
          Yep, spot the noob!

          The contract length is an accounting convenience, linked to some budget somewhere in the client's accounts department. In reality it has little or nothing to do with how long they want to retain your services.

          You need to understand that, or you will get grief. You are there as a temporary resource who can be dropped as soon as you are no longer required and should have no expectation at all of being paid for the duration - and if you do, it's a nice bonus!
          Blog? What blog...?

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by Chugnut View Post
            Contrator Length? Titter, fnarr fnarr.

            Shouldn't this be in Light Relief?
            About 9"
            "Being nice costs nothing and sometimes gets you extra bacon" - Pondlife.

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by DaveB View Post
              About 9"
              That'll be my girth. What about length?
              Illegitimus non carborundum est!

              Comment


                #8
                Contrator Length

                thanks for the replies....To make things a little clearer...
                The Contract length specifies 3 months...but after being here a week I know the project will be completed within the month...Its extremely basic and they seemed to have seriously overestimated time needed. Will this mean that after the project is finished the company can legally give me notice period and push me out the door...

                Thanks All..

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by jonahtest2 View Post
                  thanks for the replies....To make things a little clearer...
                  The Contract length specifies 3 months...but after being here a week I know the project will be completed within the month...Its extremely basic and they seemed to have seriously overestimated time needed. Will this mean that after the project is finished the company can legally give me notice period and push me out the door...

                  Thanks All..
                  elastic band.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by jonahtest2 View Post
                    thanks for the replies....To make things a little clearer...
                    The Contract length specifies 3 months...but after being here a week I know the project will be completed within the month...Its extremely basic and they seemed to have seriously overestimated time needed. Will this mean that after the project is finished the company can legally give me notice period and push me out the door...

                    Thanks All..
                    Yes. Check your contract. If it's pukka there will be no notice period on the client side. They can ask you to leave on the spot. This is a good thing.

                    Your task now is to work out how to make that work fill the 3 months they originally estimated. The best way would be to show them how you can "add value" to the project by providing additional functionality etc.

                    Failing that spend the next week planning your work load and produce a nice road map to completion with relavent milestones etc that just happens to take 3 months. Present this to your PM. Get every milestone done ahead of schedule and spend the rest of the time posting crap on here. You'll soon get the hang of it
                    "Being nice costs nothing and sometimes gets you extra bacon" - Pondlife.

                    Comment

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