Please Help

[Toks]

One of the top recruitment agencies in London offered me a contract role which was to run for 11 weeks
I accepted the role and started.
I have a signed contract with the agency confirming that the contract is to run for 11 weeks

After the 3rd week my line manager approached me and informed me that my contract will be ending in 1 weeks’ time i.e. after 4 weeks

I was surprised and informed the manager that the contract is supposed to run for 11 weeks and not 4 weeks.

However my manager claimed that he had only requested my services for 4 weeks.

When I spoke with the agency they claimed there has been some mis-understanding between themselves and the client and that the contract was for 4 weeks

The agency is refusing to take responsibility for their errors and is refusing to pay me for the remaining period of the contract or provide any form of compensation
I operate under a limited company is there anything I can do

Thank you for any advice on this subject

[northernladuk]

Assuming you are not another of Zoiderc**ts sockies.....

a) Don't start a post with 'Please help'. It is so lame

b) There is nothing you can do. He gave you a weeks notice. You could have been contracted for the rest of eternity, if he invokes your notice you are gone when he says.

Nothing else for you to do here. Next contract beckons.

[SueEllen]

If the notice period in your contract is one week then you can't do anything as NLUK says.

Some agencies have a habit of giving out 3 month contracts regardless of the length of work available. Also some clients lie as well.

So it's always good practise for you to find out in your first week how long the project is going to last/they actually need you for.

*I know plenty of contractors who want short contracts particulary during the tradionality quiet months of the year

[Zippy]

Yep, this has happened to me too. Got in to a 3 month contract but quickly realised the work wouldn't last that long. I suppose the agencies lie because they think you'll be more likely to take it (not necessarily correct assumption).
Don't moan about it, comcentrate on finishing the job well and leave with a good referee. And I'd probably avoid using that agency again.

[BolshieBastard]

One of the top recruitment agencies in London offered me a contract role which was to run for 11 weeks
I accepted the role and started.
I have a signed contract with the agency confirming that the contract is to run for 11 weeks

After the 3rd week my line manager approached me and informed me that my contract will be ending in 1 weeks’ time i.e. after 4 weeks

I was surprised and informed the manager that the contract is supposed to run for 11 weeks and not 4 weeks.

However my manager claimed that he had only requested my services for 4 weeks.

When I spoke with the agency they claimed there has been some mis-understanding between themselves and the client and that the contract was for 4 weeks

The agency is refusing to take responsibility for their errors and is refusing to pay me for the remaining period of the contract or provide any form of compensation
I operate under a limited company is there anything I can do

Thank you for any advice on this subject

Lesson 1 for contractors, your contract is for as long as your notice period (and may even be for less than that if the client has 'no work' for you to do during that period), not the contract period stated.

[northernladuk]

Lesson 1 for contractors, your contract is for as long as your notice period (and may even be for less than that if the client has 'no work' for you to do during that period), not the contract period stated.

Lesson 2 Notice period means nothing

[AllezFrance]

Best to move on and put it down to experience IMHO.

[psychocandy]

One of the top recruitment agencies in London offered me a contract role which was to run for 11 weeks
I accepted the role and started.
I have a signed contract with the agency confirming that the contract is to run for 11 weeks

After the 3rd week my line manager approached me and informed me that my contract will be ending in 1 weeks’ time i.e. after 4 weeks

I was surprised and informed the manager that the contract is supposed to run for 11 weeks and not 4 weeks.

However my manager claimed that he had only requested my services for 4 weeks.

When I spoke with the agency they claimed there has been some mis-understanding between themselves and the client and that the contract was for 4 weeks

The agency is refusing to take responsibility for their errors and is refusing to pay me for the remaining period of the contract or provide any form of compensation
I operate under a limited company is there anything I can do

Thank you for any advice on this subject

Bit naughty of the agency. Actually, you didnt mention what the contract says about notice period - assume it does say 1 week?

This is bang out of order mind. Imagine how much grief the agent would give you if you signed a three month contract with no intention of ever doing more than 4 weeks. They'd go nuts if you gave notice after 3 weeks....

[BrilloPad]

Why not name and shame?

[northernladuk]

Why not name and shame?

Because nearly everyone else that has tried to 'name and shame' as long as I can remember have managed to end up making a fool of themselves when the actual events are outed.

There are two sides to every story and we only every here one.