Working Hours a week?

[gawainuk]

Hi,

I've been offered a contract which states a 48 hour working week is this the norm now for IT work or are the agency trying to pull a fast one?

This is only my second contract since leaving a permie role and my first contract is, what I thought was, a standard 40 hour week.

The 48 hour a week contract pays more on a day rate but the days are going to be longer so it would actually be a pay cut based on rate per hour.

What's the general consensus? Am I being precious and naive about the modern contracting world or is the agency trying to take me for a costly ride?

[ladymuck]

Taking the p*ss

Ask for the contract to be amended to state "professional working day during normal business hours of operation"

[gawainuk]

Taking the p*ss

Ask for the contract to be amended to state "professional working day during normal business hours of operation"

Thanks, I'll do that and stay where I am if they get funny

[NotAllThere]

In the UK, I never had more than 37 hour week. Sometimes 35. Other places, 40 to 45 hours. Anything above 40 is pointless, since most people just stretch the work they do to fit.

[DimPrawn]

Perm these days is 35 or 37 hours. Every contract I've ever had has been 37 or 40 hours max.

Anything more than that is Victorian slave labour.

[SlipTheJab]

Most I've ever done is 40 every other contract has been 37ish, 48 is indeed taking the piss, I may do 48+ hours on some weeks but that's my choice not some pimps mandate...

[Fronttoback]

Take the higher paid 48 hour one. And do a strict 9.5 hour day.

I usually work 9-7 and bill 40 hours because I'm on a day rate. Who does 9-6? Certainly in London you would be marked as a clock watcher.

So what I'm saying is , even if you pick the 36 hour one, you'll end up doing 48 hours at your stage in your career.

Caveat - this is unusual so I would be asking a lot of questions in the interview. Do your research on the gig.

[TNA57]

Take the higher paid 48 hour one. And do a strict 9.5 hour day.

I usually work 9-7 and bill 40 hours because I'm on a day rate. Who does 9-6? Certainly in London you would be marked as a clock watcher.

So what I'm saying is , even if you pick the 36 hour one, you'll end up doing 48 hours at your stage in your career.

Caveat - this is unusual so I would be asking a lot of questions in the interview. Do your research on the gig.

I certainly do not admire your working hours Fronttoback. Why work 9-7 everyday????
Even at 9-5 i've done the best for the day and the rest will follow next day. Except you're sitting in meeting all the time..doable... otherwise i wouldn't recommend straightforward taking the gig at 48hours. As someone has said negotiate the terms and get PWD in there as opposed to 48hours.

I would most certainly be happy to do more than 40 hours a week knowing it was my choice rather than just sitting there in an office trying to make up 48 hours not being productive. On top of that, you might need to work extra hours too occasionally- come on! How many hours a day can your brain function optimally? And if you have family that's another couple of hours or so you can spend with them. Good luck with negotiating the terms!

[ladymuck]

My brain is generally fried by 4:30pm and then I just coax the day out to 5pm but will just go home if I've really had enough. I will always work later when it's genuinely needed. If I have a commute (current gig is only a 20 min walk from home) then I aim to get in early so I miss the worst of the great unwashed public but will aim to leave early too.

[jbond007]

Take the higher paid 48 hour one. And do a strict 9.5 hour day.

I usually work 9-7 and bill 40 hours because I'm on a day rate. Who does 9-6? Certainly in London you would be marked as a clock watcher.

So what I'm saying is , even if you pick the 36 hour one, you'll end up doing 48 hours at your stage in your career.

Caveat - this is unusual so I would be asking a lot of questions in the interview. Do your research on the gig.

I've contracted in London and finished at 5:30 regularly. Was never marked as a clock watcher. Though I'm not in finance and usually in Media/Telco sector.