Taking 2 weeks out in the middle of a 6 month contract

[TheMonkey]

Good question: Has anyone experienced "escaping" for 2 weeks during a longish term contract?

I am faced with a problem - my wife is due to pop on 10th September but I've got offers for 2x 6 month contracts which are actually really good. Does anyone know if people generally budge on asking for 2 weeks off mid-contract (unpaid of course!) or do I need to find a substitute?

[wc2]

I think it depends on what type of role you are playing.

I used to take time for holidays all the time. On a few even managed to add the holiday time onto the end of the contract.

You can but ask..

[NewBoy]

I have only just embarked on a contract career but I have employed many over the years and I always allowed them to take holiday on any contract greater than 3 months...contractors are just like full time employees in that they can suffer burn out and after a period of time they become less effective.

I'm currently on a 2 month contract and have agreed to a 2 month extension, but only on the basis that I get a week off in between the two...

I would absolutley go down the line of adding the holiday on at the end though...I always questioned it when people didn't...if I recruited a contractor on a 6 month contract then I expected there to be 26 weeks work...if they then said to me later on that they wanted 2 weeks off but not to worry because they would still get it all done in time, I would ask why the hell they quoted my 26 weeks in the first place when it could be done in 24...minor point but I was one of my bug-bears.

If they don't allow two weeks off over a period of 6 months, is that the sort of company you really want to work with for that amount of time?

[malvolio]

Whoa - we're freelancers, not employees. We don't do holidays, we certainly don't add them to the end of the contract if we do have some time away elsewhere.

The idea is to deliver the work, not sit at a desk for x days. If a contractor takes a week off, you don't get charged for it - as long as the thing is delivered, why should you care?

And if you do want someone to sit at a desk for six months, get a permie - that's what they do.

[The Lone Gunman]

Whoa - we're freelancers, not employees. We don't do holidays, we certainly don't add them to the end of the contract if we do have some time away elsewhere.

The idea is to deliver the work, not sit at a desk for x days. If a contractor takes a week off, you don't get charged for it - as long as the thing is delivered, why should you care?

And if you do want someone to sit at a desk for six months, get a permie - that's what they do.

Hang a moment there Malvolio, it's not often I take issue with you but... Not everyones business model is the same and nor are our clients. Not all of us have the luxury of a pre-defined work package.
Let's not get into the same mind set as HMG and HMRC as what is a legitimate business.

[malvolio]

Not saying that we should - but if I'm not working for a client, they don't get charged, mainly becuase that is one sixth of a non-IR35 ruling. It doesn't affect the end date of the contract.

I've had this argument before somewhrere (may not have been on CUK!). Irrespective of what we are actually doing, 95% of contracts between end client and agency will be for a period of work with a cost not to exceed so many days at whatever rate. If you start allowing extensions on the end date because of a non-appearance at some point during the contract, you are launching yourself straight into MOO and inside-IR35, so you may as well go for a permie role and get the benefits.

[TheMonkey]

My intention is to contract for n-weeks+2 to deliver product X. I am going to tell them that I've got to take 2 weeks out of the schedule as my wife is going to be giving birth.

Do you think that'll swing with them and avoid IR35?

I've also got some other work going on as well for about 5 hours a week of support.

[NewBoy]

In terms of IR35, isn't one of the things that works in your favour if you dictate when you work and when you don't?

[expat]

Good question: Has anyone experienced "escaping" for 2 weeks during a longish term contract?

I am faced with a problem - my wife is due to pop on 10th September but I've got offers for 2x 6 month contracts which are actually really good. Does anyone know if people generally budge on asking for 2 weeks off mid-contract (unpaid of course!) or do I need to find a substitute?

Whether or not you set your own hours during the contract, this one is easy. You get the client's interest, then before the contract is drawn up, you mention that you will not be available for a specified 2 weeks. Either they still find you a good match for their needs, or they don't. You get it agreed then, either as 24 weeks, or as 26 weeks with a gap.

If they don't like it, don't take it.

[The Lone Gunman]

In terms of IR35, isn't one of the things that works in your favour if you dictate when you work and when you don't?

YES and that goes to show the lack of understanding of this or any other business.
1 of my roles is support. That requires me to be there when my customers are.