Contractor being furloughed by client

[LondonManc]

Cheers for all the replies, useful info.

I don't like the fact it seems a work around not to pay notice.

From some of replies it seems the consensus is notice period is worth nothing as the client could always say you can't come in, you haven't completed a day's work and therefore can't bill. Why are they even written into the contract then?

There's worse problems right now so I understand my moaning is out of place in grand scheme of things.

Cheers again.

Welcome to contracting. You'll find that this varies year by year and client by client. I was served notice at Client 1 and worked and invoiced the full four weeks. I was served notice at Client 2 because they'd had the budget pulled - I wasn't going to work without being paid so instant leave. You're paid far more than a permie to build up a war chest to cover these times.

It all boils down to the contract. If there are two clauses in there, one about only being paid when submitting an invoice and approved timesheet and one about notice, the notice period is irrelevant. If you're not allowed on site/access to site, you're not going to be able to carry out any invoiceable work. It's often worth asking around to see what a particular client is like in terms of do they often cut contracts short and do they generally let you serve your notice.

Similarly I've seen people walked on the spot. They've come out of an office with a hiring manager, ten minutes later, all that remains in the office is their pass.

Here's the most important bit though; while sympathetic to your situation, the agency will ALWAYS back the client because they're the one with the money, while you're simply the agency's mechanism for relieving them of it. They can replace you far more easily than they can replace the client.

[Table]

Welcome to contracting. You'll find that this varies year by year and client by client. I was served notice at Client 1 and worked and invoiced the full four weeks. I was served notice at Client 2 because they'd had the budget pulled - I wasn't going to work without being paid so instant leave. You're paid far more than a permie to build up a war chest to cover these times.

It all boils down to the contract. If there are two clauses in there, one about only being paid when submitting an invoice and approved timesheet and one about notice, the notice period is irrelevant. If you're not allowed on site/access to site, you're not going to be able to carry out any invoiceable work. It's often worth asking around to see what a particular client is like in terms of do they often cut contracts short and do they generally let you serve your notice.

Similarly I've seen people walked on the spot. They've come out of an office with a hiring manager, ten minutes later, all that remains in the office is their pass.

Here's the most important bit though; while sympathetic to your situation, the agency will ALWAYS back the client because they're the one with the money, while you're simply the agency's mechanism for relieving them of it. They can replace you far more easily than they can replace the client.

Cheers for this (and all the rest of you who have replied)

My main learning is that I've been really naïve about the whole world of contracting. I realise that's my own failings. Going forward it's obvious I need to move back into the permie world albeit at a lower pay.

If you can't take the heat then get out of the kitchen!

[northernladuk]

Cheers for this (and all the rest of you who have replied)

My main learning is that I've been really naïve about the whole world of contracting. I realise that's my own failings. Going forward it's obvious I need to move back into the permie world albeit at a lower pay.

If you can't take the heat then get out of the kitchen!

Technically your pay will shoot up five fold

[d000hg]

Might as well tell them you will be billing as per the notice period and that since you're not an employee they cannot furlough you (link to govUK pages). Say you would rather work the period out.

You never know, it might work.

[mrdonuts]

God I hate this term furlough. If we stopped using it everything would be much simpler and people wouldn't get confused as per this post. It's a permie term. Always has been.

what are you on about its a horse riding term f all to do with contracting

[SussexSeagull]

Why clients/agents can't just say there is no work for you so don't come in and you won't get paid rather than go through this whole song and dance is beyond me.