3 days per week contract

[xchaotic]

Hi there.

I have a fairly complex setup that involves contract A two days per week and contract B.
I am fairly happy with all thing related to A.
Now with B not only the rate is tulip, hours are long, but every now and then they try to to make me work beyond the contracted 3 days (usually in the two remaining business days).
For now, I just follow the mantra to keep invoicing, but I feel that going forward this situation has detrimental effect on contract A, my quality of life (I end up doing extra B work on Saturdays or nights etc).

My question is, does it make sense to try and search for another 3days pw contract or is it better to just get a new one that's full 5 days per week?

Ideally I'd go for a 3 day one as, like I said I am perfectly happy with A, but I have a feeling that interviewing for the normally advertised contract, it might be a tough thing convincing clients to just 3 days and I might end up with the exact same situation as with B now - doing 5 days worth of work and only getting paid for 3 again.

Any suggestion, arguments towards any particular outcome?

[northernladuk]

I think I will never understand how asking a bunch of strangers who have no idea of your personal situation and probably have completely different ones can really give you good advice on what to do in work/life situations? Whatever we say is just random and suits our purpose because we don't understand yours. Is that a piece of advice you want to take on board and make an important decision on???

Seems you asked I will give you my opinion based on the few facts you have given me and my own personal experience which is ditch the crappy few days here and there and just go for a solid 5 dayer. At some point or other contract A or contract B is going to go belly up leaving you out of pocket and lumbered with trying to look for another 2 or 3 dayer.... not much chance of that.....I couldn't be arsed with the hassle and would just go for a nice 5 dayer and insist on a WFH agreement.

[MarillionFan]

I think I will never understand how asking a bunch of strangers who have no idea of your personal situation and probably have completely different ones can really give you good advice on what to do in work/life situations? Whatever we say is just random and suits our purpose because we don't understand yours. Is that a piece of advice you want to take on board and make an important decision on???

Seems you asked I will give you my opinion based on the few facts you have given me and my own personal experience which is ditch the crappy few days here and there and just go for a solid 5 dayer. At some point or other contract A or contract B is going to go belly up leaving you out of pocket and lumbered with trying to look for another 2 or 3 dayer.... not much chance of that.....I couldn't be arsed with the hassle and would just go for a nice 5 dayer and insist on a WFH agreement.

WHS but without the attitude.

5 Dayer probably suit you better.

[Wanderer]

I think I will never understand how asking a bunch of strangers who have no idea of your personal situation and probably have completely different ones can really give you good advice on what to do in work/life situations?

The same way that people ring the Samaritans when they are going to top themselves.

Sometimes it's good to bounce things off the wall a bit or get the opinion of someone anonymous. Often, people who aren't involved with you closely will give you a different view on things or perhaps a kick up the arse that your friends would feel too polite to do.

I'd agree with northernladuk, working two jobs is two lots of hassle.

For what it's worth, I'd try and ditch one contract and get the other one extended to 4 or 5 days a week. Hell, looking out the window I'd like to just work 3 days a week at the moment.

[xchaotic]

Sometimes it's good to bounce things off the wall a bit or get the opinion of someone anonymous. Often, people who aren't involved with you closely will give you a different view on things or perhaps a kick up the arse that your friends would feel too polite to do.

WHS

Just one last angle, before I call them to shove it, isn't working for two clients at the same time make me immune from IR35?

[thunderlizard]

Not per se. If your contract with A says you have to work Monday & Tuesday every week, with obligation, no more no less, and are controlling you personally, it's in IR35. Same with B for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

The only difference is you probably have more chance than a single-contract person of demonstrating that you can come and go as you please.

[northernladuk]

WHS

Just one last angle, before I call them to shove it, isn't working for two clients at the same time make me immune from IR35?

IR35 is per contract. It is irrelevant how many you work for.. well not totally, it does help but if all the contracts say you work x and y day and come in at 9 and go home at 5 etc etc... you are in IR35. You can have 2 temp full time jobs as well you know.

[darmstadt]

I do 3 days a week at one place and 2 at another place and have no problems. At the start of the contract I told them what I would work and if they wanted more then I would see what I could do with no promises. Admittedly they both now want me to work more days a week but they both know the situation and have to live with it. I do have some freeway with the contracts as they're fixed, one is for a certain amount of hours and the other a certain amount of days with no end date so I can juggle if I want to. I wouldn't mind a 5 dayer, especially near me as I travel about 600km a week for these contracts but they pay the bills