Permanent notice period

[contractoralan]

Unless your personal circumstances will not allow you to be abroad at all, I would suggest that you go to the client site tomorrow. If you were that against going abroad, you could have said no on day one.

Look at your contract and if it allows you to give shorter notice, make use of it. Otherwise, be onsite but negotiate with the manager to be leave in a few weeks time. I am sure they will let you go rather than keeping an unhappy person on the clinet site. If your manager does not agree tell them that you will finish in 4 weeks(whether they agree or not). This will give them a bit of time to find someone else and also give you time to find a contract.

When you get to be a contractor, you may still come across circumstances where you could be asked to travel abroad for a few weeks for a project. Of course, you can always say no if you are a contractor, but that may not always reflect well on you. Do not overestimate the flexibility you can have as a contractor. Well, I am a contracting newbie, and I could have a wrong view of contracting.

[SueEllen]

Im not actually on site at the moment, I was last week, and I was due to go there again tomorrow.

I have just had a long voicemail from someone reminding me of my obligations, and telling me that I need to fly to the site tomorrow. They have said that I am obliged to work three months notice, and dont want to risk damaging the firms reputation.

I guess my notice period is three months (havent checked contract).

I have made my decision what I want to do, they know I want to leave ASAP. I made a big mistake accepting this permanent role, instead of going contracting. That was what I really wanted to do, but I was scared due to the risk. However, this way, as I no longer have a job, it will be a big motivator for me to get out there and find work.

Then leave immediately.

You are not a slave.

I have friends who have walked out of their jobs because they mentally couldn't face working their notice period.

I also recently have permanent friends who have resigned after asking for 3 months unpaid and not getting it some where put on gardening leave others had to work out their notice periods.

The company can easily hide it from their client by just saying you are sick. They must be aware that you are unhappy to talk about their reputation in the voicemail.

Also if you are determined to come home every night to your girl friend while contracting, just be aware that in bad times for your particular speciality you could be on the bench for a long period. Therefore make sure your war chest can cover you for a least 2 years particularly if your girlfriend is not a high earner. (I'm speaking from a member of my family's experience.)

[SueEllen]

Sue you for the cost of a replacement and any other costs incurred by you not working your notice.

Whether or not they would is a different matter, but they could.

They are only likely to threaten to do that if you have to start employment tribunal proceedings to get unpaid wages and expense money out of them.

Legally they have to pay you your wages and expense money even if you walk out without notice. Lots of companies don't as they know employees don't know the law.

To stop you taking legal action and to be awkward in paying you they could send threatening solicitors letters saying they are going to take you to court.

However if you stick your to your guns they are unlikely to do that and will finally pay the money, as if they are a big company they don't want to be in the media about treating employees badly.

[nomadd]

I'm not actually on site at the moment, I was last week, and I was due to go there again tomorrow.

I have just had a long voicemail from someone reminding me of my obligations, and telling me that I need to fly to the site tomorrow. They have said that I am obliged to work three months notice, and dont want to risk damaging the firms reputation.

Did you discuss the "overseas" work with them? From the sounds of your posts, you did, and seeked only UK work. So I can't quite understand how you ended up overseas?

Long "voicemail"? FFS, these people sound absolutely dreadful to work for.

If you do not feel comfortable flying back out to this site then you are under NO obligation to do so. Irrespective of what your contract states. If your mental health - and I'm being serious here - is suffering, then your company has a duty of care to you. Remember, you are an Employee, not a slave. I personally would not got back on site. If my Employer kicked off about it, I'd state I'd be happy to discuss it via a Solicitor.

[Wanderer]

I guess my notice period is three months (havent checked contract).

What, after 2 weeks in the job they think you're going to give 3 months notice? I don't think so. Just tell them you ain't leaving the UK and you'll do a handover for a week or two and that's that.

And make sure they pay you what they owe as well - if they don't then take them to small claims court to recover it.

[NotAllThere]

Easy peasy. Call in sick to work, then go see your doc. Tell him the thought of going to work fills you with dread. That you're unable to make day to day decisions. That you're sleeping badly, can't focus, and have anxiety attacks at random times.

Then he'll sign you off work for stress.

If your work colleagues/bosses give you any hassle during your time off for stress, tell them to get stuffed - and keep a record of it (keep a copy of the voicemail!). If you don't get the money you're owed - sue.

What SueEllen, Nomadd and Wanderer said! Your mental health is far more important than some poxy (huge) consultancies reputation. Knowing most of them you'd have to do something really really bad to tarnish it anyway!

[jmo21]

Guessing the OP went on site then?

[kempc23]

No- I finished yesterday. I spoke to someone in HR and sorted it. They were extremely suprised when I told them about the voicemail!

Fact of the matter is- I behaved pretty unprofessionally, but I made a mistake. My heart was never in this job. I had my heart set on going contracting, but was offered a very big salary and that swayed my decision.

As of today, I am a contractor. Although, at the moment, an unemployed one

Fingers crossed.

[eek]

No- I finished yesterday. I spoke to someone in HR and sorted it. They were extremely suprised when I told them about the voicemail!

Fact of the matter is- I behaved pretty unprofessionally, but I made a mistake. My heart was never in this job. I had my heart set on going contracting, but was offered a very big salary and that swayed my decision.

As of today, I am a contractor. Although, at the moment, an unemployed one

Fingers crossed.

A contractor is never unemployed. He should be sat on a bench working on plan B (even if plan b is leaving the park bench to find a fresh newspaper).

[jmo21]

No- I finished yesterday. I spoke to someone in HR and sorted it. They were extremely suprised when I told them about the voicemail!

Fact of the matter is- I behaved pretty unprofessionally, but I made a mistake. My heart was never in this job. I had my heart set on going contracting, but was offered a very big salary and that swayed my decision.

As of today, I am a contractor. Although, at the moment, an unemployed one

Fingers crossed.

What did you do that was unprofessional?

Anyway, a happy ending then, good stuff!