Holiday Annual Leave Time Off

**ratewhore** · 19 June 2008, 11:07

Ignore it. Take your time off when you like, taking into account impact on delivery of course.

Someone will explain the IR35 implications soon no doubt...

**Sockpuppet** · 19 June 2008, 11:16

Originally posted by PadBasher View Post

An email has been sent to all contractors from the “stand-in” IT manager at the client site where I also work as a contractor, "that all contractors have to seek authorization and agreement with the business before taking annual leave.....”
It is my belief that I am not a permanent or temporary member of staff and that I do not have to seek "authorization and agreement" before deciding that I want to take a day's holidays. As a business I may also have other company related issues etc. that I must carry out. Obviously I would let my line manager know that I wanted to take some holiday and if there was any problem with having the time off.
What are other contractor’s views on this heavy handed attitude by this particular individual?

Almost. You almost convinced me you were a business till that gaffe.

Your Faithfully,
Hector

**StarBuck** · 19 June 2008, 11:24

Originally posted by PadBasher View Post

"that all contractors have to seek authorization and agreement with the business before taking annual leave.....”

Reply and say as a contractor you are not entitled to any annual leave.

Then say you will be unavailable to the client for the month of July and see what reaction you get

**DimPrawn** · 19 June 2008, 11:29

Originally posted by StarBuck View Post

Reply and say as a contractor you are not entitled to any annual leave.

Then say you will be unavailable to the client for the month of July and see what reaction you get

WHS.

How much annual leave are you entitled to?

Answer 0.

Therefore it is meaningless to seek authorisation for something that does not apply.

You have to make a stand at these permie manager muppets. They really don't have a clue.

**NotAllThere** · 19 June 2008, 12:16

Stand-in IT Manager. Ah - a contractor. He's just having a laff - he's really a stand-up IT Manager.

client-side line manager.

They obviously think you get annual leave from them. Therefore apply for and take such leave, and bill them for it.

Or do what StarBuck said.

**VectraMan** · 19 June 2008, 13:05

Originally posted by StarBuck View Post

Reply and say as a contractor you are not entitled to any annual leave.

Replying is likely to stir up trouble. So I'd just ignore it.

**expat** · 19 June 2008, 15:53

Originally posted by PadBasher View Post

An email has been sent to all contractors from the “stand-in” IT manager at the client site where I also work as a contractor, "that all contractors have to seek authorization and agreement with the business before taking annual leave.....”
It is my belief that I am not a permanent or temporary member of staff and that I do not have to seek "authorization and agreement" before deciding that I want to take a day's holidays. As a business I may also have other company related issues etc. that I must carry out. Obviously I would let my line manager know that I wanted to take some holiday and if there was any problem with having the time off.
What are other contractor’s views on this heavy handed attitude by this particular individual?

I plan my holiday time well in advance. Usually it is outside the time span of the current contract, so I present it to a potential new client (in writing) as time already planned to be unavailable. If the client then says that's not acceptable, I would make a decision on the possible new contract based on all known factors including that; if the client says nothing, I will feel able to do what I have said I'll do.

Even at that I'm not aggressive about it. In one contract I did exactly that (a family holiday was booked and paid for). I wrote to notify the dates, before accepting the contract. Later when I reminded the PM of that, he said that he wasn't able to say yet whether he would be able to authorise it. Privately I thought, I am not now asking for you to authorise it; but publicly I waited to see if it would become a real problem. It didn't, so why fight over it?

Note to Dodgy Agent: I don't demand the right to take time off when I want, I build it in to my offer. The client can take it, leave it, or dicuss it further. That's the great thing about markets: 2 parties can decide whether they want to do business with each other or not. At least, they can if third parties steeped in FUD, neither buyers nor sellers, possessors of neither the money nor the skills, don't interpose themselves into a working market and skew it.

**blacjac** · 19 June 2008, 17:22

Originally posted by expat View Post

<snip>Even at that I'm not aggressive about it. In one contract I did exactly that (a family holiday was booked and paid for). I wrote to notify the dates, before accepting the contract. Later when I reminded the PM of that, he said that he wasn't able to say yet whether he would be able to authorise it. Privately I thought, I am not now asking for you to authorise it; but publicly I waited to see if it would become a real problem. It didn't, so why fight over it?
<snip>

Because if you ever get investigated for IR35, and the PM happens to mention that he authorised your holidays, it will count against you.

**TheVoice** · 19 June 2008, 17:33

Yes my current client contact thinks he is working with permies (or at best, temporary staff) & not contractors, he seems to think he can rule the time people have to themselves, not realising they are a business.

Having said that this is the same client who expects contractors to fill in the "timesheet" of <their company> as well as that of the agent - no way say I - IR35...they insist the agency wont be paid but that ain't my problem so......! Plus this "timesheet" is all in german so they dont stand a chance.

Sometimes you need to keep it in the front of the clients mind that you are a company & have other affairs to attend to. Just take the time you want, let them know out of courtesy & take no notice of this guy who clearly is a permie & has no concept of our world!

Holiday Annual Leave Time Off