Reply to: When is a 6 month contract not a 6 month contract...

[seanraaron]

Most American companies shut down for the last two weeks of December and if you're permanent you either use your annual leave to cover the non-public holidays or you don't get paid for that time. I pretty much assume any large company, like a bank, will do the same over here and increasingly, they are.

I started my current job in November and although I could have worked most of that period, I already had a holiday booked for the first week and didn't see the point of working three days in the second so I'm facing no pay for this and next week. Sucks, but such is life.

Unless your next job is with a government agency that wants a full account of your time I can't see why a couple of weeks would matter.

[piotrkula]

Yea. I found that last week in Dec is a fantastic time to be finish contract. I landed a sweet new contract within 3 days, cause they needed me to start like first week in Jan.

As far as you CV goes just put 3 months down and say 1 month was a holiday if you so worried about those number games.

They basically warned you that the money ran out so time to hand in notice and move on.

[Platypus]

By just a week. Penny pinching client there who worked out they could save a quid.

A quid a week is quite a low rate. I'd say you were better off out of it

[psychocandy]

and in answer to the OP's thread title "When is a 6 month contract not a 6 month contract..."

Well.... never......

a 6 month contract is the "expected term". Zero guarantee's whatsoever.

It's a shame you had to experience an early end to fully appreciate this.

As others have said as well, it won't look bad on your CV, you won't be telling people it got cut short, and you can't say "oh but I had other opportunities that I could have taken" as they had no guarantees either.

I will add as well, from my experience, and of seeing other contractors I've worked with over the years, you are more likely to be extended than to have a contract cut short.

I myself recently had a contract pulled at the last minute (Thursday before a Monday start), and I've only ever seen 2 other guys have contracts cut short in 8 years contracting (seen a couple of donkeys given the boot right enough).

So while it comes with the territory, over a long contracting career, I'd say you are more likely to be toasting your success at lucrative extensions than commiserating over contracts being cut short.

jmo - beat you. Had a friday 3pm before monday pulled once.

Had one cut short once. By just a week. Penny pinching client there who worked out they could save a quid.

[jmo21]

and in answer to the OP's thread title "When is a 6 month contract not a 6 month contract..."

Well.... never......

a 6 month contract is the "expected term". Zero guarantee's whatsoever.

It's a shame you had to experience an early end to fully appreciate this.

As others have said as well, it won't look bad on your CV, you won't be telling people it got cut short, and you can't say "oh but I had other opportunities that I could have taken" as they had no guarantees either.

I will add as well, from my experience, and of seeing other contractors I've worked with over the years, you are more likely to be extended than to have a contract cut short.

I myself recently had a contract pulled at the last minute (Thursday before a Monday start), and I've only ever seen 2 other guys have contracts cut short in 8 years contracting (seen a couple of donkeys given the boot right enough).

So while it comes with the territory, over a long contracting career, I'd say you are more likely to be toasting your success at lucrative extensions than commiserating over contracts being cut short.

[WordIsBond]

Definitely NCOTBAC.

Luckily most people with a decent set of cojones don't feel the need to rant about stuff that's part and parcel of what we do or we'd be knee deep in rants.

+1

But to be fair, this IS the Internet. 90% of the 'Net is rants about stuff that's part and parcel of life. The other 10% is porn, which is about what sad losers wish was part and parcel of their life.

[uk contractor]

Man up OP this happens all the time they pay you well & when your surplus to requirements they discard you faster than you can blink an eyelid! Nature of the beast just move onto something else & or take some bench leave over xmas.

[BolshieBastard]

Hi all,

Am coming up to 4 months worked on a 6 month contract for a London bank. Was told there was an enforced leave of 2 weeks over xmas (annoying but par for the course).

Have now been told mid Dec is last day on the job as they have enforced leave and then no budget for the remainder of my contract in January.

I’m v annoyed because Dec/Jan is not the time to be off, it’s harder to find a role, companies are in party mode and have no budget. Do I have any course to argue this early termination? The contract states 2 weeks notice but they aren’t actually doing that, just stating that 4 weeks time is when the money runs out. Have emailed HR for some clarification on this - boss is just a shrug shoulders "hands are tied" guy - but ultimately he must have known he had no budget when they brought me in?!?

Very annoyed as a) it makes me look like I couldn’t finish a contract and b) I turned down a longer-term role for this and have no desire to be talking to agencies again.

Probably no recourse here at all so just ranting.

You sound like this is your first contract out of permiedom. Contracting can be harsh, eh?

What makes you think the role you turned down wouldnt have ended earlier?

[Elliegirl]

[QUOTE=blueislander;2170503]Hi all,

Am coming up to 4 months worked on a 6 month contract for a London bank. Was told there was an enforced leave of 2 weeks over xmas (annoying but par for the course).

Very annoyed as a) it makes me look like I couldn’t finish a contract and b) I turned down a longer-term role for this and have no desire to be talking to agencies again.



When it goes on your CV you wouldn't say 'did four months of a six month contract' so why would it make it look as if you couldn't finish a contract, unless I've misunderstood?

As for the longer term role, if the length of the role was that important why didn't you take that in the first place? Anyway, as I've found over the years being in this game, nothing is guaranteed. The stories this site could tell you of people who have had a phone call on Friday to say the contract they are supposed to have started on the Monday has been canned. And this after they've resigned from jobs/moved across the country/turned down other roles, etc etc. At least you got four months out of your role. I myself have said yes to a role, then turned down 2 other interviews only to have the company come back to me a week later saying they've decided to appoint inhouse instead. As you can imagine, I'll never make that mistake again.

[Elliegirl]

Don't worry. I used to think the two week enforced break over xmas was a disgrace. Nowadays, if it doesn't happen as part of the programme/project, I book the two weeks off anyway and have a lovely lovely break.

[MrMarkyMark]

Can a Mod move this to general. I believe Brillo might be able help.

+1

[gables]

Contracts are 6 months in IB the vast majority of the time. Anything less than 6 full months sometimes looks a bit funky - IT etc can be different but London banking normally works on 3 or 6 months.

Surely it's not that sensitive, I can't believe anyone would bat an eyelid

[NotAllThere]

...

Can a Mod move this to general. I believe Brillo might be able help.

No. This is the right place for it.

[BlasterBates]

Remember your contract is with the agency. The agency contract usually states that they only pay for work signed off by the client, which basically means they can give you the contractual notice but they only pay you for work provided by the client. If the client tells you to go home then from that point on there's no money. The client only has to respect the notice period with the agency, whatever that is. The notice period protects you from the agency terminating in spite of the fact that the client requires your services, but I believe does not usually protect you from the client terminating.

You have to check your contractual terms and conditions but unless there is some clause explicitly outlining compensation if there is no work, then probably not much you can do.

This is different of course if you're a temporary employee.

[blueislander]

True.
However, your banking project wouldn't be the only one to have ever had budgetary constraints.

I've had this happen to me a couple of times, over the last 15 years.

I sucked it up and moved on.

And I will do the same I am sure, have no choice. Just a Thursday afternoon moan. None of my concerns are their concerns, but who the hell else can I bitch at