need advice quick on client gone bad

[Menelaus]

ALERT: I am NOTa lawyer.

It strikes me that you've been acting under client instructions, providing them with your skills and to date being a valued member of the team.

It appears that you need to do the following:

1. Get a contract - with anyone, agent or client (the opt-in / opt-out question here arises)

2. Lay it on the line to the agent - you're getting a contract within 24h or you're walking and you're going to sue them and publicise their unprofessional behaviour

3. Be prepared to walk

[TheFaQQer]

As has been said, the fact that you did not opt out in writing before being introduced to the client has a BIG impact on your ability to get paid - you only need to prove that you did the time that you are invoicing for (you don't even need to prove that the work was any good - if it isn't, they would need to sue you for compensation rather than not paying).

If you had a contract from the agency and started work, then that's the contract that is in place, regardless of who has signed it. Therefore, you have a contract.

If you can't use the agency timesheet system, then produce your own (even if it's just a spreadsheet with a list of dates) - if possible, get SOMEONE to sign the form for you. If the director is avoiding you, get a manager, or even a team-mate to sign it for you. It's not necessary, but would help any possible dispute resolution down the line.

Don't just walk - you have a contract, you are in the right, and you deserve to be paid for the work that you have done. Don't let them get away with not paying you for the time that you've done, either. The law is on your side, so use it

Best of luck with it.

[darrenb]

2. Lay it on the line to the agent - you're getting a contract within 24h or you're walking and you're going to sue them and publicise their unprofessional behaviour

3. Be prepared to walk

Actually I laid it on the line for them yesterday and haven't gone in today. The client has been acting a bit apologetic. However, the place is run by the finance guy and he's the one making all the trouble -- most likely because he's discovered the market is down and other agents have offered him cheaper candidates since they hired me. Now that I'm out, the client will just string me along for a bit I reckon.

Still, I have other options.

[TheFaQQer]

Actually I laid it on the line for them yesterday and haven't gone in today. The client has been acting a bit apologetic. However, the place is run by the finance guy and he's the one making all the trouble -- most likely because he's discovered the market is down and other agents have offered him cheaper candidates since they hired me. Now that I'm out, the client will just string me along for a bit I reckon.

Still, I have other options.

Here's hoping they don't come after you for breach of contract.

[darrenb]

Here's hoping they don't come after you for breach of contract.

You're trying to cheer me up, right.

Well they say they want me to sign a new contract, so presumably if they present that to me and I don't sign that, they can't claim I breached it.

[TheFaQQer]

You're trying to cheer me up, right.

That's what I'm here for.

As they say: "Damn southerners. They've teken our industry, they've teken our jobs. They've teken our best brains, and they've teken our ideas. But there's one thing they'll never tek from uz. That's our sense of humour"