Reply to: Legal notice period

[intodarkness]

Thanks for all the advice everyone.

I've decided to pull the plug on this one... Bit of a weight off the shoulders to be fair but it will be an interesting meeting on Monday.

I could still do potential ad hoc work for them so I don't want to burn any bridges. They have been decent to me...

I'm going to charge them for the month so far and then volunteer to help with any admin or emails from home to help them with continuity. I won't charge them for that, only if they want me onsite or at the office. I think that's fair and might ease the pain a bit

[seanraaron]

I'd talk to the managed service company first, assuming that they're the ones who initially approached the agency to fill the vacancy. Their issue will be that you're probably being charged out at a far greater rate than you're on and they're potentially going to lose a significant margin (if you're on £300/day, say, then agent will be getting £30-50/day and msc will be charging you out at well over £600).

Not a bad idea; they may have something more appropriate as well. I'll hang out my shingle first and then see what happens before broaching the topic.

[LondonManc]

Well here's the response from the umbrella:

"I can confirm that currently your notice period is set to 28 days. However should you be looking to leave earlier than this, you may want to negotiate this directly with the end client."

Now, I don't have a relationship direct with the end client, so politically I'm not sure how this works. I'm engaged by the agency and their client is a managed services company that has the relationship with the end client. I don't want to burn bridges with anyone so the order of communicating if I want to take the exit would be what, end client, agency and leave agency to talk to their client? The managed services company has their own on-site person who I cc holiday plans to after I've cleared it with end client.

Such a mess...

I'd talk to the managed service company first, assuming that they're the ones who initially approached the agency to fill the vacancy. Their issue will be that you're probably being charged out at a far greater rate than you're on and they're potentially going to lose a significant margin (if you're on £300/day, say, then agent will be getting £30-50/day and msc will be charging you out at well over £600).

[northernladuk]

It works because they are the one with the work that needs doing. If they can hand over early you can leave early. The contract can still be in effect but you are just doing no work = no time sheet = no pay do effective early termination.

[seanraaron]

Well here's the response from the umbrella:

"I can confirm that currently your notice period is set to 28 days. However should you be looking to leave earlier than this, you may want to negotiate this directly with the end client."

Now, I don't have a relationship direct with the end client, so politically I'm not sure how this works. I'm engaged by the agency and their client is a managed services company that has the relationship with the end client. I don't want to burn bridges with anyone so the order of communicating if I want to take the exit would be what, end client, agency and leave agency to talk to their client? The managed services company has their own on-site person who I cc holiday plans to after I've cleared it with end client.

Such a mess...

[seanraaron]

So that's what we are doing wrong....

I keep searching the B/C board for newbie posts, just for the LOLs!

[northernladuk]

I'm actually thinking of doing some reading so I can get my Red Hat cert, but I haven't done technical reading for years so I'm procrastinating on that. There's so many tech forums out there I wouldn't know where to start, but if you can recommend a good one I might give it a go. This place has given me more than a few laughs which is why I keep coming back.

So that's what we are doing wrong....

[seanraaron]

Is there anything you can do online rather than CUK?
As in, can you go on a technical forum and help answer questions - doesn't help with the cv but keeps your hand in technically

I'm actually thinking of doing some reading so I can get my Red Hat cert, but I haven't done technical reading for years so I'm procrastinating on that. There's so many tech forums out there I wouldn't know where to start, but if you can recommend a good one I might give it a go. This place has given me more than a few laughs which is why I keep coming back.

[LondonManc]

That and de-skilling are also big concerns that drive me to consider splitting...I've never been one to burn my bridges, however, even when I didn't like the job/company.

I've pitched the question at the umbrella, so I'll see what they say. I expect I'll be discouraged from doing anything to terminate early, though.

Is there anything you can do online rather than CUK?
As in, can you go on a technical forum and help answer questions - doesn't help with the cv but keeps your hand in technically

[seanraaron]

The big issue that I see is how to market this gig on your cv - what have you achieved while you were there, etc.

That and de-skilling are also big concerns that drive me to consider splitting...I've never been one to burn my bridges, however, even when I didn't like the job/company.

I've pitched the question at the umbrella, so I'll see what they say. I expect I'll be discouraged from doing anything to terminate early, though.

[LondonManc]

It's sapping my will to live and my partner is amused/outraged I'm being paid £300/day to read books and post on this forum, but a bird in the hand and all that!

Nevertheless I'll make a discreet enquiry with my umbrella because I can't make head nor tail out of what I've had passed along.

The big issue that I see is how to market this gig on your cv - what have you achieved while you were there, etc.

[seanraaron]

Ah fair enough. Carry on invoicing then until you feel that the gig looks long enough on the cv.

It's sapping my will to live and my partner is amused/outraged I'm being paid £300/day to read books and post on this forum, but a bird in the hand and all that!

Nevertheless I'll make a discreet enquiry with my umbrella because I can't make head nor tail out of what I've had passed along.

[LondonManc]

Actually I'm not looking busy at all; doesn't seem to matter much as they client doesn't really seem to care. At some point I suppose I could get inundated, I just need to balance that against boredom. The job is totally inside IR35, but as SlipTheJab said I'm using an umbrella.

Amusingly I'm working with a guy who's been on-site for two years using an LLC. He's basically hoping HMRC never asks him out!

Ah fair enough. Carry on invoicing then until you feel that the gig looks long enough on the cv.

[seanraaron]

Do you feel that you're inside IR35, or at least heading that way or is it simply the case that you're having to look busy for half the week and the project is still within your contracted deliverables? If you're finding work slow, welcome to contracting. Some times you get run off your feet, other days you have to try and look busy. Suck it up and keep invoicing I'd suggest.

Actually I'm not looking busy at all; doesn't seem to matter much as they client doesn't really seem to care. At some point I suppose I could get inundated, I just need to balance that against boredom. The job is totally inside IR35, but as SlipTheJab said I'm using an umbrella.

Amusingly I'm working with a guy who's been on-site for two years using an LLC. He's basically hoping HMRC never asks him out!

[northernladuk]

I sense that nluk would rather earn £300/day outside IR35 than £3000/day inside IR35

I sense an infraction coming my way.