Originally posted by Belle
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2. Are you through an agency or direct? If it's an agency, what is your opt out status?
3. Is there any possibility of an extension or future work for the client? Have you been at the client for a long or a short time? Do you care about leaving on good terms? How much goodwill have you built up at the client? How much money has the company taken from the client in fees over the duration of the contract? Do you consider yourself inside or outside IR35?
If you are working through an agency and NOT opted out then the nuclear option is to invoice them for the last week (no timesheet required) and take legal action against them in small claims court when they refuse to pay (as they will). If it gets to court then a judge will consider your contract in detail and decide if you should be paid. They may settle out of court if you refuse to back down or they may bring in some big gun lawyers who baffle you with legalese and cost you a bunch in legal fees. Be aware that winning the case may tip you into being IR35 caught (with serious tax implications if you consider yourself outside IR35) and will certainly destroy any goodwill between you, the agency and the client (and rest assured, the client WILL get dragged into this).
Conversely, if you don't take action, it's probably a good IR35 defence that you made a business "loss" when your contract was terminated unexpectedly.
The overwhelming consensus from this forum is going to be that as long as you are paid for the work you have done, you should take it like a man. Smile sweetly, thank everyone you've worked with, buy a round of beers in the pub, leave on good terms and focus your energy on finding the next contract.
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