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Holidays and clients

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    Holidays and clients

    I've found the best idea if you've got a holiday booked during a contract is to be up front AFTER the contract is decided. If they ask me at interview I'll tell them otherwise I wont.

    I always tell the agency to tell client before I start but some dont bother (presumably not wanting to risk the contract falling flat). But then I will inform client when I start. Note, inform as in not negotiable - if you dont like it tough. Certainly not going to wind family up/lose deposit etc for the sake of client.

    However, I wont tell them about holidays after the current contract length (unless they ask again). For instance, 3 month gig holiday in 5 months. Although same applies if I get offered extension over that period.
    90% of clients are ok. Have had one or two who have whined a bit. Had one or two agencies who've said they needs to agree it too - I dont think so.

    A mate of mine had a real problem once where client knew about holiday then two weeks before tried to tell him they couldnt allow it. Nearly ended badly because client really thought they could dicate - mate didnt back down in the end, they gave in.

    Personally, if client did that I'd tell them hard luck and walk if I had to.

    Just wondering - anyone ever been forced into situation like this?
    Rhyddid i lofnod psychocandy!!!!

    #2
    Originally posted by psychocandy View Post
    A mate of mine had a real problem once where client knew about holiday then two weeks before tried to tell him they couldnt allow it. Nearly ended badly because client really thought they could dicate - mate didnt back down in the end, they gave in.
    Even though he got away with it, with that attitude, I'd worry if there was an IR35 investigation.

    Originally posted by psychocandy View Post
    Just wondering - anyone ever been forced into situation like this?
    When I start a contract, I tell them when I'm unavailable. If I'm in contract then I tend to book holiday for after the contract has finished (which then usually ends up being during the next extension), so I tell them when we do the extension.

    Never had a client with an issue with it - one client I'd managed to book my holiday three times in a row to coincide with their go-lives. Unfortunate, but I always booked my holiday for half-term week, which was three weeks after the go-live date. When the go-live slipped by three weeks each time, they had issues as lots of people were off for half-term.
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      #3
      Some numpty started a thread on this exact topic a while back.

      Here it is.

      http://forums.contractoruk.com/gener...-think-so.html

      Comment


        #4
        Has anyone else noticed a worrying trend of clients asking if new contractors have holiday booked?

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          #5
          Originally posted by covbob View Post
          Has anyone else noticed a worrying trend of clients asking if new contractors have holiday booked?
          It's hardly a new trend and it's a fair question so what's the problem? I got asked this on my first contract 9 years ago and got asked on the last time I got a contract.
          'CUK forum personality of 2011 - Winner - Yes really!!!!

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            #6
            Originally posted by northernladuk View Post
            It's hardly a new trend and it's a fair question so what's the problem? I got asked this on my first contract 9 years ago and got asked on the last time I got a contract.
            It'd be a fair question from a brand new contractor, but all I see is more PC's life blog.

            We all get asked the question pretty much every time we get a new contract, so I don't really see the point of the thread (especially as has been pointed out PC started nearly the same thread three years ago). I wondered why it was worthy of comment from an experienced contractor like PC.

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              #7
              Originally posted by northernladuk View Post
              It's hardly a new trend and it's a fair question so what's the problem? I got asked this on my first contract 9 years ago and got asked on the last time I got a contract.
              whooosh
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                #8
                Originally posted by covbob View Post
                It'd be a fair question from a brand new contractor, but all I see is more PC's life blog.

                We all get asked the question pretty much every time we get a new contract, so I don't really see the point of the thread (especially as has been pointed out PC started nearly the same thread three years ago). I wondered why it was worthy of comment from an experienced contractor like PC.
                Yeah good point actually.
                'CUK forum personality of 2011 - Winner - Yes really!!!!

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                  #9
                  Originally posted by TheFaQQer View Post
                  whooosh
                  I'm not sure NLUK is cut out for PC related sarcasm (See what I did there?).

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by SpontaneousOrder View Post
                    I'm not sure NLUK is cut out for PC related sarcasm (See what I did there?).
                    Did you ask your accountant what they thought first?
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