fixed term pro rata

[formant]

It's possibly different at different companies but I have two friends who have started at BUPA over the last few years on these types of contract and until they get a full time contract they didn't get the healthcare cover!!!!! In both cases they were extended on the contract to the maximum limit before being given perm contracts.

I guess the devil is in the details of each case.....

No doubt some employers have a tiered benefits system, be that by length of service or salary grade. But officially they're not allowed to discriminate between temporary and permanent employees. Which is of course a pointless rule, as no employment tribunal will actually hear your case if you haven't been employed for the now two years (unless the issues relate to the equality act or public interest disclosures). I was at Caterpillar not too long ago and despite my temporary contract I got all the same perks as the permies on and surrounding my salary grade. The truly fancy perks didn't start till a few salary grades higher up.

But yes, what you don't get is the higher salary for the lack of long-term job security. But depending on what you can get out of this job it may still be well worth it.

[HardCop]

Thanks for the advise.
Regarding the perks it says its pensionable from the start as well as 25 days holidays. So its quite confusing esp the holidays . The reason why I am interested in this role as its quite a large and well reputed governmental organisation(subsidised onsite gym, restaurant). I have also got a few other offers - they are permanent but paying a bit less. In 6 months time I am not sure if I would be in this position i.e. easily get offers. What do you guys suggest should I go for it. I suppose the main question is : working for a large organisation as against a typical small IT software house. I have mainly worked in small-medium teams and never in a big team. Not sure how a big team will work out for me.

Also if they do offer me a permanent role .. say after initial 6 months would it usually be the same pay scale?

Confused :-(

[formant]

In a temporary employment contract you're not normally compensated for the lack of long-term job security, meaning if they make you perm thereafter, it's unlikely that they'll offer you a lower salary.

With regards to the holidays, well those 25 will be pro rata as well, so more like 12.5 for the 6 months. Not sure what's unusual about that - that's normal in temporary employment. It's only in 'proper' contracting/agency work that you get no holiday or sick pay (but a rate of pay that makes up for this).

If the job is better paid and an overall better opportunity than your other offers, I'd say go for it. Make it add value to your CV so that just in case they don't keep you on you'll move on to something else after your time with them. I find that globally recognised company names/organisations can add a lot of credibility to your CV.
Regarding the small team vs big team thing - go for the new experience so that you can put on your CV that you've worked in a variety of circumstances.

[mudskipper]

Hi Guys,

I am new to contracting as well as a beginner in IT(compared to other folks here :-))

I have recently been offered a fixed term pro rata contract of £40,000 for an initial period of 6 months.
Working hours are 36 per week as well as I have the full annual holidays entitlement of 25 days(similar to permie full time employee) and will be taxed like a permanent employee.
I would like to know my take home amount and how to calculate it. I have been told after 6 months most likely Iwill be taken as a permanent employee. Is there a catch here? From past experiences how does such contracts end up?

£40K pro-rata for 6 months sounds like £20K. Similarly, 25 days holiday = 12.5 days. Make sure you know what you're signing up to.

[HardCop]

Noticed the following in the contract:
...
ACCEPTANCE OF OUTSIDE APPOINTMENTS
Civil servants are required to obtain the agreement of the Government before
accepting any offer of employment outside the Civil Service, which would start within
2 years of leaving Crown employment. This applies if:

you are a member of the Senior Civil Service; or
your official duties in the 2 years before leaving Crown service (or earlier if the
association has been of a continued or repeated nature) resulted in personal
involvement with the company or other organisation making the offer; or access to
commercially sensitive information of its competitors.
...

normally would a short term IT/software development work fall into this.
This looks like a hefty price for a short time work in the civil service. Also what is the procedure of 'obtaining the agreement of the Government'.