Days Off

[Jsecure]

When you take on say, a three month contract, can you take a day off if you want (unpaid) or are you basically on no breaks except for when you're sick, etc, etc... I'm totally new and I want to get a feel for how things operate as a contractor

[KevinS]

I take a day off as and when I need it. If I know in advance, I inform the client that I won't be in on day x.

[VectraMan]

You don't have to ask permission, but it would be foolish not to consider the client's needs. If you're in the middle of a 3-month contract and you announce you're taking the next 6 weeks off to go on holiday, they're not going to be impressed.

I'm sure most of us think of the money and save the time off for between contracts. I took 4 days off last year.

[ChimpMaster]

On a short contract like 3 months I would be inclined to advise the client of any time off that might be a week or longer. Of course, you can do this after you have the offer in place - but be professional and find the best solution for both yourself and the client.

A day or 2 here and there is not a problem - just give sufficient notice.

[NotAllThere]

With a new client, I will tell them upfront of any time I've got otherwise allocated once they've made an offer, but before I start. If I need to take a day off for any reason, I give them as much notice as possible. If it would cause them problems, I offer to "make up the time".

You may find, if you go through an agency, that you're obliged to inform them as well of any time off. To be honest though, I never have. Technically, the agency should then inform the client, but practically it doesn't work that way.

[Archangel]

You don't have to ask permission, but it would be foolish not to consider the client's needs. If you're in the middle of a 3-month contract and you announce you're taking the next 6 weeks off to go on holiday, they're not going to be impressed.

I'm sure most of us think of the money and save the time off for between contracts. I took 4 days off last year.

I haven't had a break between contracts since 1989.


I just take the time off as I would as a permie, making sure its ok with client as a courtesy.

Last year I had 42 days off + the bank hols.

[robnjc]

I book holidays when I want them. If I'm in a contract and expecting to renew I tell them asap, otherwise I tell them at interview for the next contract.

as for ad hoc days/long weekends, I've never been refused yet. Ask nicely though

[vhadiant]

I treat my leave just like a perm. Consider client need, and inform as far as you can to the client.

[BrowneIssue]

It also depends upon your role.

As a Project Manager I can take whatever leave I like (within reason) because I'm the one responsible for the consequences. However, if the world goes tits up while I'm away, I would not be surprised to find my contract had been terminated.

If I had a contractor tell me at short notice they wanted leave at a crucial time, or announce a 6 week break, I might give serious thought to whether it would be best to replace them.

I would not expect any significant leave to occur (long weekends aren't a problem, especially if you offer to make up the hours) on an initial 3 month contract unless it had come up at the interview.

If you look at it from your employer's perspective, once you work out why you are there you may be able to work out how to take leave. If it is a support role, who will cover for you? If it is development or testing, when is the quiet period in the project for your role? If it is interim management, forget it!

The best way to handle it can be to put it into the employer's hands: "The missus wants a holiday this year and has told me to ask you when is the best fortnight for me to go on leave? BTW, she'd like to go soon and then forgo a summer holiday, so if you were worried about summer cover, you could give me an extension knowing I'll be around right through. Anyway, would Easter be good for you? It means I only need 8 days. "

[ladymuck]

I've never worried about it. I tend to try and work through if it is only going to be a few months long and then take a break at the end. If it's something that's going to roll on for a while then I take holiday as I normally would. I once took a week off to refit my bathroom mid-contract.