Getting out of a contract early

[Flyboy1973]

HI,

I suspect I will get a 'better offer' of another contract this week however I have just taken a new contract on and it has a 4 week notice period. Anyone know how I can get out of it earlier, say a week?

[MarillionFan]

HI,

I suspect I will get a 'better offer' of another contract this week however I have just taken a new contract on and it has a 4 week notice period. Anyone know how I can get out of it earlier, say a week?

Go sick.

[northernladuk]

HI,

I suspect I will get a 'better offer' of another contract this week however I have just taken a new contract on and it has a 4 week notice period. Anyone know how I can get out of it earlier, say a week?

You can punch your boss in the face or

You can give a weeks notice and just not turn up again but don't expect to see a penny of anything not invoiced. In the meantime get a deluge of angry mails from the agent and client threating to sue you over breach of contract although (unfortunatley in most cases) it will not come to anything. The first time may not come back and bite you but at some point it will

Also 'better offers' can often turn out not to be as well. Unless it is a real belter I would seriously consider fulfilling your contract but that is my opinion.

[JoJoGabor]

I would encourage anyone to fulfill what you've agreed to deliver, Ie finish your contract as agreed. Unless you are doing a vastly different role to agreed, or the position is unbearable, show some commitment. It gives us all a bad name.

I am not in a very good contract currently but am determined to stick it out for the remaining 3 months.

[TheFaQQer]

HI,

I suspect I will get a 'better offer' of another contract this week however I have just taken a new contract on and it has a 4 week notice period. Anyone know how I can get out of it earlier, say a week?

Quote the mutuality of obligation clause - assuming you have one in the contract, then you don't have to accept any work that the client offers.

The client won't like it, and nor will the agency, but that would be your right. You would look incredibly unprofessional for doing so, and I would hope that the agency and client never forget, but legally you could probably get away with it and get out that way.

The chances of the client and/or agency taking any legal action against you are slim. The chances of you looking like a pr1ck are not.

[Flyboy1973]

The other contract IS an absolute belter (40% more on the rate, move back home, no travel, no crap accomodation etc), seriously and the one I accepted has not been the one promised. Fixed Hours, no flexibility and a client attitude from the dark ages. Regrets, yes!

Now, I know there could be consequences, but I need to get out when offered this new one (im confident I will). I have a four week notice period, so I may give that and take two weeks sick.....

[TheFaQQer]

It would be a shame if you abandoned this client and the new role all fell through.

[malvolio]

So it hasn't even been offered yet. What are you, some kind of superhero?

FFS, take a bit of resopnsibility for yourself. Go talk to the client and see what they say. Or find a subbie. Or give 4 weeks notice, and tell your "new" client that's when you can start. Then negotiate if the job is still there.

You've agreed to sell your skill and expertise to some purpose. You can't leave gracefully without gviing notice. How hard is that to understand? You want to get out of that commitment, either run away like a five year old or try and limit the damage you're going to cause. Both are bad, one is seriously less bad than the other. But don't come on here looking for advice; the only advice you'll get that means anything is to finish what you've contracted to do

[northernladuk]

The other contract IS an absolute belter (40% more on the rate, move back home, no travel, no crap accomodation etc), seriously and the one I accepted has not been the one promised. Fixed Hours, no flexibility and a client attitude from the dark ages. Regrets, yes!

Now, I know there could be consequences, but I need to get out when offered this new one (im confident I will). I have a four week notice period, so I may give that and take two weeks sick.....

Sure, they won't see through that. Why not at least be a man and just tell them you are not coming back in for last 2 weeks. Might at least salvage a little respect if nothing else.

[Flyboy1973]

Hold on, I have no intention of moving without an offer and a contract in my hand.

I never really wanted this contract but after 8 weeks on the bench prior to xmas, I needed to get back to work. This potential new one has come up and its too good to ignore.

I expect some puritans may flame me for my intention to jump and run, but I know that the urgencies the potential client are under, 4 weeks would certainly remove the offer from the table. Devil and deep blue sea.....