Professional day - How many hours?

[LondonManc]

x 2 please!

What are you waiting for, an inside IR35 contract with outside IR35 overtime?

[captcavey]

So... to wrestle this back a bit...

If a contract states "Professional Working Day" then it is fair to say your expectation is an 8-hour day (or there abouts) but not necessarily with a pre-defined start time. You might have to start at 08:00, you might have to start at 09:00, maybe at 10:00 but the PWD, in your professional opinions, means roughly an 8 hour day, and they may ask you to put some extra in to finish the job as long as it is reasonable, yes?

To be more specific about the 19 hour day:
Left home at 05:00 via taxi to airport
Flew to country where needed (only 90 minute flight or there abouts)
Straight to office, started sorting equipment etc.
Bit of customer care whilst EU handed in machines
Lots of hanging around waiting on the US to do some back-end bits and bobs
Started hands-on work at roughly 21:00 and worked until midnight ish

Similar happened this Friday & Saturday in London (we shift offices each week) but I said I wasn't going to stay for another 12+ hour day. Pointed out PWD doesn't say "evening" or "night" anywhere in it. They were happy for me to go (still got the job done) but I think they would have had us doing anything and everything whilst we were there just because they could. I think I'm learning (quickly) that your hours are in your hands and it is fair to say "I'm going now" in a nice, professional manner. Of course once your PWD has been finished.

[LondonManc]

So... to wrestle this back a bit...

If a contract states "Professional Working Day" then it is fair to say your expectation is an 8-hour day (or there abouts) but not necessarily with a pre-defined start time. You might have to start at 08:00, you might have to start at 09:00, maybe at 10:00 but the PWD, in your professional opinions, means roughly an 8 hour day, and they may ask you to put some extra in to finish the job as long as it is reasonable, yes?

To be more specific about the 19 hour day:
Left home at 05:00 via taxi to airport
Flew to country where needed (only 90 minute flight or there abouts)
Straight to office, started sorting equipment etc.
Bit of customer care whilst EU handed in machines
Lots of hanging around waiting on the US to do some back-end bits and bobs
Started hands-on work at roughly 21:00 and worked until midnight ish

Similar happened this Friday & Saturday in London (we shift offices each week) but I said I wasn't going to stay for another 12+ hour day. Pointed out PWD doesn't say "evening" or "night" anywhere in it. They were happy for me to go (still got the job done) but I think they would have had us doing anything and everything whilst we were there just because they could. I think I'm learning (quickly) that your hours are in your hands and it is fair to say "I'm going now" in a nice, professional manner. Of course once your PWD has been finished.

This

[Bee]

It's depends on the work load.

In my diferent projects in diferent Clients are around 8, 10, 4, 6... total per week 40, the daily rate are the same. Mondays and Fridays are around 4.

[captcavey]

It's depends on the work load.

In my diferent projects in diferent Clients are around 8, 10, 4, 6... total per week 40, the daily rate are the same. Mondays and Fridays are around 4.

As long as you are averaging about 8 hours a day then all good but if they did 8, 19, 16, 8, 12 You'd say a hard "no" to that.

I wanted to check as I am new to this game. I think that's probably showing though!

[WTFH]

To be more specific about the 19 hour day:
Left home at 05:00 via taxi to airport
Flew to country where needed (only 90 minute flight or there abouts)
Straight to office, started sorting equipment etc.
Bit of customer care whilst EU handed in machines
Lots of hanging around waiting on the US to do some back-end bits and bobs
Started hands-on work at roughly 21:00 and worked until midnight ish

OK, so you were not working 19 hours, you've just included the time from when you left home.
What time did you arrive on the client site and what time did you leave?

[FrontEnder]

OK, so you were not working 19 hours, you've just included the time from when you left home.
What time did you arrive on the client site and what time did you leave?

^^ this.

Your travel time isn't really the concern of the client, but most will be accommodating if you have to travel a fair bit, so a late start on Monday and early finish when you leave are usually fine, so long as you do a bit extra in the week.

[MrMarkyMark]

I worked on the project that had a strict deadline and did a lot of hours, including a true 18 hour day.
It was a hard few weeks, but was required for a hard regulatory deadline.

This lead to 3 years more work with a rate increase. The other guy who did the same has also had plenty of repeat business, the other 7 contractors went, never to be seen again.

I'm just waiting for paperwork to go back again for 6 months .

Obviously, it's up to you to assess what potentials there and act accordingly.

[captcavey]

OK, so you were not working 19 hours, you've just included the time from when you left home.
What time did you arrive on the client site and what time did you leave?

I dispute that as the flights and leaving airport were stipulated by the company. If I were being "fair" then I could say "it normally takes me x-amount of time to get to the London based office ergo I will subtract that from the total time I'm with you" (although I think they'd look at me funny for using the 'ergo').

We arrived in the country where we were working at 09:00 (or there abouts) and in the office an hour later. So are you saying that day started at 10:00? If so then giving 5 hours of your life away seems very charitable...

[Bee]

As long as you are averaging about 8 hours a day then all good but if they did 8, 19, 16, 8, 12 You'd say a hard "no" to that.

I wanted to check as I am new to this game. I think that's probably showing though!

You don't have much experience, you need to be flexible or you lose the game.

I can't say no because there are dead lines to accomplish. If I have a flight on Mondays and Fridays it's my problem and the Client usually are flexible.

But if I start to have weeks with more than 40 h in regular basis usually are compensated with bonus or days off.