Terminating A Contract Before Initial Term

**MarillionFan** · 16 May 2012, 18:42

If you don't like it. Don't do it. After 12 years I'm surprised you haven't come across it. Think of it like a relationship, when it goes sour you can either walk away or work at it. But only you can make that decision. Least with being a contractor though, you're not married or she's not living with you. ;-)

**SussexSeagull** · 16 May 2012, 19:11

We all bag a stinker once in a while. If it isn't worth the hassle, walk.

**TheFaQQer** · 16 May 2012, 19:11

If you want positive feedback, go permie in a lovey-dovey company.

If you don't like it, then give notice and go. I've not done it myself, but I have turned down an extension because I hated the place.

I work for myself so I don't have to deal with this stuff if I don't want to - if I was in your shoes, I'd be telling the client where to stick their eight hour rules and be out the door.

**Contractoid** · 16 May 2012, 19:31

Originally posted by TheFaQQer View Post

If you want positive feedback, go permie in a lovey-dovey company.

If you don't like it, then give notice and go. I've not done it myself, but I have turned down an extension because I hated the place.

I work for myself so I don't have to deal with this stuff if I don't want to - if I was in your shoes, I'd be telling the client where to stick their eight hour rules and be out the door.

Its not that I expect or even want positive feedback, the fact you are still there or get extended is the only positive performance appraisal you ever need!

. Its the fact that all I get is winges about timekeeping with out even the courtesy of saying they are happy with the output.

Yep, out the door is where i'm going. And if they think i'm buying them a round of leaving drinks they have another thing coming!

**northernladuk** · 16 May 2012, 19:32

Not surprised if it is toxic there if you flatly refuse to work the 8 hours everyone else does, whinge about it and are investigating the legality of it. They must love you.

**Contractoid** · 16 May 2012, 22:09

Originally posted by northernladuk View Post

Not surprised if it is toxic there if you flatly refuse to work the 8 hours everyone else does, whinge about it and are investigating the legality of it. They must love you.

The toxic atmosphere is nothing to do with me or other contractors. Here there is lots of change and outsourcing going on requiring specialist help which the permies resent and then turn on us because we are an easy target. I have worked whatever hours are required to complete any reasonable project objective and day rate combination I have signed up to and have done so during my entire Interim career. I have worked on many projects needing 12 hours plus a day input for months on end to meet the milestones and deliver the goods got my head down and got on with it.

What I resent here is being allocated a set of projects I can do in far less than 8 hours a day, request more work as per my contract stipulates, not get get it, not feel obliged to sit there twiddling my thumbs for the sake of it, deliver what is asked of me and then get flak for not meeting a contract term I was never party to or signed up to.

**Scoobos** · 16 May 2012, 23:08

From a chap in a very similar position, I nearly bottled it the other day to throw the towel in, but its worth sticking the term. I've been here 4 weeks with 8 to go, the bottom line is its nasty out there at the moment (in my field) and with the continual uncertainty im not sure leaving a paying role is a good idea.

I think its easy for contractors to get frustrated because we are naturally driven people , some may wonder why you get so annoyed at having free time in your day - factory box packers really do have full days of nothing.

I've just had 8 months on the bench after a 1st rate contract and struggled to secure the crap I've got now.

Stick.it out if you can and just think yourself lucky you've got something .... That's getting me through a similar situation .

**cojak** · 17 May 2012, 08:09

I left a contract one month into an extension when the project got canned - I didn't really care what the client thought as they really couldn't find their own way out of a paper bag.

With 12 year's experience the decision is yours, we don't work there so we don't really know how bad it is.

**GillsMan** · 17 May 2012, 08:17

I've stuck it out at places I hated before. In fact, at my last client, I even accepted two very short extensions, even though I absolutely hated it there - similar thing to the OP really, idiot permies, toxic atmosphere, they really didn't have a clue about contractors, etc. In fact, I brought up several times, that they weren't using my skills and expertise at all. Several times, I found myself data cleansing spreadsheets, a task that's pretty menial for me. I pointed out to them that they could pay a temp a fraction of what they pay me to do it, but they were happy for me to carry on.

I must admit, I had a falling out with one of the permies there, an absolute idiot of a chap. One day, he absolutely exploded at me, he called me a "joke" twice, "flaky", said I was a "loser" and "overly emotional". He basically went postal on me, and on the shop floor. I just laughed really, reported it to his line manager and said essentially, I couldn't have that happen again. I really hated this guy, and the whole place, but I didn't leave and I stayed until my work was complete.

That's not to say I'd always do that, but in general I'd have to find it much worse than even that to leave early. If there was no work, I'd do it to save the client money, and if they started making things difficult from an IR35 perspective (e.g. trying to dictate my hours), I'd walk then as well. But that's about it.

Terminating A Contract Before Initial Term