Daily Rate - is this clause normal?

[TheFaQQer]

Whoops I meant, always work on *daily* rate.

Ah - still never watch the hours, it's a daily rate

[VectraMan]

Do you guys watch your hours? I've always been on daily rate (only been contracting for barely a year but), and don't worry too much on the hours. I'm usually there between 9ish - 6ish. Some days I'll be there longer, some days I'll go home early at 5ish.

My last gig was per day, and that's what I'd do. Now I'm working per hour and it sucks. I always end up hanging around at the end of the day when I know I'm not going to get anything more useful done just to make up the time.

[TheFaQQer]

My last gig was per day, and that's what I'd do. Now I'm working per hour and it sucks. I always end up hanging around at the end of the day when I know I'm not going to get anything more useful done just to make up the time.

You're not making up the time, you're screwing more cash from the client for doing nothing.

There's a difference

[vhadiant]

My last gig was per day, and that's what I'd do. Now I'm working per hour and it sucks. I always end up hanging around at the end of the day when I know I'm not going to get anything more useful done just to make up the time.

Yeah, I can't imagine I'd like working on hourly rate. Daily is best, it's all going to average out and the client knows this.

[VectraMan]

You're not making up the time, you're screwing more cash from the client for doing nothing.

There's a difference

That's one way of looking at it.

It doesn't really benefit either side. If I'm good at what I do, work hard, and get things done quickly, I'm penalised for it.

And from the client's perspective, they want the work done to a budget which is based on me doing full time hours. If I was constantly only doing 20 hours a week say, then yes they'd save money, but I'd leave or at least not renew because it would be too big a dent in my income. At the end of the day if they're happy with what's being done it shouldn't matter about hours.

Plus in development, progress is never proportional to hours.

If I renew here I'll be asking them to change to be per day.

[Bluebird]

I've done both - I prefer hours as it give me more flexibility.

If I'm only in the office for 6 hours - thats how much I get paid for - I don't have to sit around for an hour and a half so they get their pound of flesh.

[TheFaQQer]

I've done both - I prefer hours as it give me more flexibility.

If I'm only in the office for 6 hours - thats how much I get paid for - I don't have to sit around for an hour and a half so they get their pound of flesh.

Part of me says that on a more complicated, time-sensitive piece of work, I'd prefer to be on an hourly rate.

That said, it might impact my ability to post on here if I did that.

[VectraMan]

If I'm only in the office for 6 hours - thats how much I get paid for - I don't have to sit around for an hour and a half so they get their pound of flesh.

If they're saying we've paid you for the full day so you must do the full day, then that sounds a bit like D&C.

But I know what you mean. It's easier to justify leaving early, if only to yourself, if you're not being paid for it.

[Bluebird]

If they're saying we've paid you for the full day so you must do the full day, then that sounds a bit like D&C.

But I know what you mean. It's easier to justify leaving early, if only to yourself, if you're not being paid for it.

It's also quite handy as I have another client who I work for on an hourly basis as well...

[Not So Wise]

Prefer hourly for same reason, if I want to leave early it is generally is no bother to the client as they don't pay for time I am not here. Currently I turn up when want and leave when I want and only have to consult with client if I am going to go much beyond the 37.7 hours for the week.

Where as others here on daily rate get the inquisition if they are much more than 30 mins late or leave slightly early

As to the original posters question, if it was me, personally would not sign that contract even before I got to the IR35 question for two reasons in the following order

a) Computer people = tossers
b) They are basically asking you to work extra hours for free when it suits them and for you to take a pay cut when it does not