Contracted Hours issue - Advice please

[escapeUK]

IMHO, it means an average of 8 hours a day max. With me, if its busy I will work the odd few hours extra - occasionally I've even worked a 20 hour day. But if I want to leave early a few days or take 1/2 day then no-one had better moan about it or that'll be the end of it. Also, working weekends - not for free fellas - if you want work I get to bill for it. Although its amazing how something becomes less urgent when you tell them you;re going to bill a day at the weekend then (as opposed to thenm thinking it was a freebie).

I experienced this when I was a permie. "Urgent" reports they needed ASAP, when completed they had forgotten they even asked for it, and was never mentioned again. You soon realise which people it is, and I never started anything on their 1st urgent request. 99% of the time, it was never mentioned again. The 1% that they asked for the 2nd time got done.

However, urgent requests as a contractor should be filled and invoiced for. Still most are never mentioned again.

[Roguemeister]

Update

Hi everyone,

Just as an update to let you know how the situation went.

They terminated my contract!

I spoke to the agency who were on board with the idea that if they were expecting me to work extra for a prolonged period of time that my rate should be amended accordingly. They were trying to get my rate increased for the difference between the 2. Or I'd have accepted a clearer view of what they meant over "professional working day" and maybe a little bit more give than just take (20 hours a month free work from me for nothing in return - not happening)

I had, whilst waiting for the response, worked a bit extra as a gesture of goodwill.

So - they bring me in yesterday and claim that they can see I'm putting in the time, but my work ethic has dropped and I'm not working as hard all day and I'm disconnected. Also that I'm having more conversations with people (as opposed to the none that I was having before when everyone else was nattering away through the day) No actual evidence provided but the usual "some people have mentioned" and I'd had feedback which contradicted his statement.

The funniest part is that they gave their game away a week before by secretly interviewing someone for my role, without announcing that they had funding for an extra person or what they were being hired to do. They'd only just been denied a month prior due to the scope being reduced. There was no reason for this person joining other than to replace me.

Perhaps they thought they were being clever in their underhanded, secretive ways and that I wouldn't be expecting it.

Treat everyone as you would expect to be treated has always been my way, their behaviour will come back to haunt them

Anyway, job interview tomorrow to get back to the roles I want. I have more time to join in the fun of the forum too

[Scrag Meister]

That is not to say that you cannot do a Marcellus Wallis bendover later if you do get a firm offer if that's how you want to play it.

FTFY

Flexibility is part of the game but don't find yourself over any barrells.

[Lewis]

Hi everyone,

Just as an update to let you know how the situation went.

They terminated my contract!

I spoke to the agency who were on board with the idea that if they were expecting me to work extra for a prolonged period of time that my rate should be amended accordingly. They were trying to get my rate increased for the difference between the 2. Or I'd have accepted a clearer view of what they meant over "professional working day" and maybe a little bit more give than just take (20 hours a month free work from me for nothing in return - not happening)

I had, whilst waiting for the response, worked a bit extra as a gesture of goodwill.

So - they bring me in yesterday and claim that they can see I'm putting in the time, but my work ethic has dropped and I'm not working as hard all day and I'm disconnected. Also that I'm having more conversations with people (as opposed to the none that I was having before when everyone else was nattering away through the day) No actual evidence provided but the usual "some people have mentioned" and I'd had feedback which contradicted his statement.

The funniest part is that they gave their game away a week before by secretly interviewing someone for my role, without announcing that they had funding for an extra person or what they were being hired to do. They'd only just been denied a month prior due to the scope being reduced. There was no reason for this person joining other than to replace me.

Perhaps they thought they were being clever in their underhanded, secretive ways and that I wouldn't be expecting it.

Treat everyone as you would expect to be treated has always been my way, their behaviour will come back to haunt them

Anyway, job interview tomorrow to get back to the roles I want. I have more time to join in the fun of the forum too

Thanks for the update, it's always interesting to see how things turn out. Often we never find out.

[psychocandy]

Hi everyone,

Just as an update to let you know how the situation went.

They terminated my contract!

I spoke to the agency who were on board with the idea that if they were expecting me to work extra for a prolonged period of time that my rate should be amended accordingly. They were trying to get my rate increased for the difference between the 2. Or I'd have accepted a clearer view of what they meant over "professional working day" and maybe a little bit more give than just take (20 hours a month free work from me for nothing in return - not happening)

I had, whilst waiting for the response, worked a bit extra as a gesture of goodwill.

So - they bring me in yesterday and claim that they can see I'm putting in the time, but my work ethic has dropped and I'm not working as hard all day and I'm disconnected. Also that I'm having more conversations with people (as opposed to the none that I was having before when everyone else was nattering away through the day) No actual evidence provided but the usual "some people have mentioned" and I'd had feedback which contradicted his statement.

The funniest part is that they gave their game away a week before by secretly interviewing someone for my role, without announcing that they had funding for an extra person or what they were being hired to do. They'd only just been denied a month prior due to the scope being reduced. There was no reason for this person joining other than to replace me.

Perhaps they thought they were being clever in their underhanded, secretive ways and that I wouldn't be expecting it.

Treat everyone as you would expect to be treated has always been my way, their behaviour will come back to haunt them

Anyway, job interview tomorrow to get back to the roles I want. I have more time to join in the fun of the forum too

Roguey,

Fair does to you for sticking to your guns with this one. Sounds like what they want is a mug not a contractor so let some other idiot work their nuts off for them. Although what's to say the next person wont be the same as you?

Ignore all the made up bulltulip reasons for getting rid. That's just them trying to justify themselves. I got made redundant from a permie job years ago. Real cowboy company who couldnt be arsed to go through the redundancy process properly and wanted leavers to sign an agreement to go. So what they did was search high and low for reasons to get rid - internet browsing logs, people had said things blah blah blah. It was so pathetic it was funny when I got dragged in and they read out the charge sheet :-)

(I had even apparently upset a customer by asking him how the football had gone the weekend! I knew the guy quite well and it was just a bit of friendly banter-funny as hell that was).

Anyway - Hope things work out for you and you get a decent contract soon....

[Roguemeister]

Roguey,

Fair does to you for sticking to your guns with this one. Sounds like what they want is a mug not a contractor so let some other idiot work their nuts off for them. Although what's to say the next person wont be the same as you?

Ignore all the made up bulltulip reasons for getting rid. That's just them trying to justify themselves. I got made redundant from a permie job years ago. Real cowboy company who couldnt be arsed to go through the redundancy process properly and wanted leavers to sign an agreement to go. So what they did was search high and low for reasons to get rid - internet browsing logs, people had said things blah blah blah. It was so pathetic it was funny when I got dragged in and they read out the charge sheet :-)

(I had even apparently upset a customer by asking him how the football had gone the weekend! I knew the guy quite well and it was just a bit of friendly banter-funny as hell that was).

Anyway - Hope things work out for you and you get a decent contract soon....

Thanks psychocandy, I have a second interview on Friday so it's looking promising that I shouldn't be out too long.

Hopefully just long enough for me to get some well deserved PS3 time in. I've a stack of games I need to clear!

[sharper1]

Seems like this issue has been resolved but just to add my two pence worth. I'm 12 months into my first contract and was faced with a similar decision fairly early on. I took the decision that I would be happy to do occasional unpaid out of hours work in the interests of maintaining a good relationship with the client, especially since it was my first contract. We're talking to odd out of hours release and a an extra hour or two every now and then when my manager is up against a deadline and I can help deliver. I've since developed a great relationship with them and they've kept me in work for the past year from what was initially a 3 month contract. They have also been happy for me to take a couple of hours out in a morning for dentists/doctors appointments and still invoice them a full days work.

I think you have to make the call based on your situation though. I've never bought into a culture of consistent overtime, even when I was a permie - it just smacks of bad management. Good on you for sticking to your guns, I'd like to think I would do the same!

[Murder1]

I think you have to make the call based on your situation though. I've never bought into a culture of consistent overtime, even when I was a permie - it just smacks of bad management. Good on you for sticking to your guns, I'd like to think I would do the same!

WHS, did exactly the same thing on current contract as it was only 1 hour here 1 hour there and whilst it might not have had any impact I have been renewed where others have been let go. As soon as it became consistent or longer in terms of hours they pushed me to invoice for additional hours.

Good luck Roguemeister