Contract termination query

[LondonManc]

As others have said your contract is with the agency not the client. You need to ring the agency for advice. Any legal action would be against the agency not the client. The client can say and do whatever he likes you're not working for him, you're working for the agency at the client's site.

Not a phrase you'll hear often but in this case it's correct. The main time to ask the agency for advice is when you're looking at staying on site as long as possible. Why? Simply because that's what they want for you too. They don't care about you, but they care about losing their commission.

[BlasterBates]

As others have said your contract is with the agency not the client. You need to ring the agency for advice. Any legal action would be against the agency not the client. The client can say and do whatever he likes you're not working for him, you're working for the agency at the client's site.

[LondonManc]

Yup. This ^^^^^

In my experience you are either walked off site and won't get paid, irrelevant of notice.
Or the client will be happy to pay you a notice period as a) they're not all b*****ds, and b) a lot don;t know they don't have to.

To add to b, a lot don't want to get a reputation for it and want to keep attracting contractors, unlike a bank or two...

[Lance]

As others have said, your contract is with the agency, so (unless your contract says different) notice should come from the agency.

However, there is almost certainly something in your contract that says that they are not obliged to provide you with work which makes the notice period fairly meaningless. "Here's your two week's notice, but we do not need you to do anything during that two weeks".

It really does depend on what your contract says.

Talk to the agency and ask them to find out what's going on.

Yup. This ^^^^^

In my experience you are either walked off site and won't get paid, irrelevant of notice.
Or the client will be happy to pay you a notice period as a) they're not all b*****ds, and b) a lot don;t know they don't have to.

[mudskipper]

Bit of a strange one...

On Monday the client lost its main contract , an email was sent out to assure the contract staff it was still business as usual.
Just before home time I was called into the office where I was told by one of the managers my contract was being terminated with immediate effect (he cited performance as the reason which is total bs).

I was verbally given 2 weeks notice as per my contract.
I asked when my last day would be and told HR would be in touch.

I'ts now Friday and I havnt heard a thing , not a peep from hr , the agency or the managers...
i've had no formal notification of termination from anyone...not even an email from the manager , even a post it note would be nice...

not quite sure about the legality of this , can formal notice be back dated or does it run from the day it's given....

If it helps i'm opted in for the agency regs

Thanks in advance

As others have said, your contract is with the agency, so (unless your contract says different) notice should come from the agency.

However, there is almost certainly something in your contract that says that they are not obliged to provide you with work which makes the notice period fairly meaningless. "Here's your two week's notice, but we do not need you to do anything during that two weeks".

It really does depend on what your contract says.

Talk to the agency and ask them to find out what's going on.

[MrButton]

cos it wan't from the agency.......

Fair.

[Lance]

How was the notice you were given not “formal”?

cos it wan't from the agency.......

[Hobosapien]

Make sure they are ok with you continuing working so that you won't have issue with them approving your timesheet.

Terminated with immediate effect is not the same as being verbally given 2 weeks notice so you need to clarify with the client that they have the work for you and will pay it, otherwise the two week's notice (once confirmed by your agent) will go down as unpaid time if they're not obliged (by contract terms) to provide and pay for your work during the notice period.

Prepare for what you want to do post contract (take time off or immediately seek another contract) and get your CV up to date, but await confirmation from your agent you are actually being let go as the client may still be working through their future needs and may change their mind hence one possible reason for it going quiet. More likely they are concentrating on more important things (to them) so pester your agent for confirmation of the situation.

[Scruff]

YourCo.'s contract is with the Agency.

Contact them via email and inform them of the conversation that was held with you. Stick to the facts that you were given. Do not enter into opinions, or let your emotions run wild. I would suggest using bullet points for the key points raised by their Client.

They will have an interest in determining the issues with their Client, since it will affect their income stream.

[MrButton]

How was the notice you were given not “formal”?

[LondonManc]

Keep your head down, keep invoicing.

They'll always bs an excuse to get you offsite. You actually being on site is their acceptance that they should keep paying you.

[Nitehawk]

Bit of a strange one...

On Monday the client lost its main contract , an email was sent out to assure the contract staff it was still business as usual.
Just before home time I was called into the office where I was told by one of the managers my contract was being terminated with immediate effect (he cited performance as the reason which is total bs).

I was verbally given 2 weeks notice as per my contract.
I asked when my last day would be and told HR would be in touch.

I'ts now Friday and I havnt heard a thing , not a peep from hr , the agency or the managers...
i've had no formal notification of termination from anyone...not even an email from the manager , even a post it note would be nice...

not quite sure about the legality of this , can formal notice be back dated or does it run from the day it's given....

If it helps i'm opted in for the agency regs

Thanks in advance