Reply to: Mandatory Contractor Furlough

[oliverson]

my enforced furloughs and rate cuts ceased a couple of years ago when I moved from investment banking to asset management, then insurance and now big 4 accountancy. What I've also found is that the environment is a lot more pleasant and flexible, generally, and people have lives outside the workplace, 10+ hour days down to 7. When you compare the day rates for the actual hours you're expected to work it equates to a better hourly rate. The place I'm at now, the official start time is 09:30, I kid you not ,and they're out the door by 17:30 at the latest and an hour for lunch. It could almost be the public sector, aside from the rates. Coming from an IB background, this is an alien environment but a welcome one. I'm just waiting for them to reintroduce half-day Wednesdays and early Friday finish. Actually I finish Fridays early anyhow.

Upshot. There's more to life than money, not that the rate is poor either.

[LondonManc]

Errrm, he did say "both" parties, so you have to be a good boy too

Good. About time...

[MrMarkyMark]

Good. About time...

Errrm, he did say "both" parties, so you have to be a good boy too

[psychocandy]

Any more posts between NLUK and psychocandy in the professional forums that are just personal abuse will result in both parties being banned for a few days. We've had enough.

If you find he's off your ignore list, exercise some self control and put him back on. Do not respond. It isn't difficult.

Good. About time...

[BackupBoy]

I just hate that word 'furlough'......

Me too. Clientco are unsurprisingly Septics.

[LondonManc]

Enforced bench time is pretty common now, last client, all contractors had to vacate from about 20th December until about 7th Jan.

If the project work gets thin on the ground, they also told individual contractors to go home and come back when the workload increased.

Some people like it, others, who live to work, get upset.

Tell them to man up or go perm.

[DimPrawn]

Enforced bench time is pretty common now, last client, all contractors had to vacate from about 20th December until about 7th Jan.

If the project work gets thin on the ground, they also told individual contractors to go home and come back when the workload increased.

Some people like it, others, who live to work, get upset.

[northernladuk]

I just hate that word 'furlough'......

How about 'Lomauttaa' then?

[NotAllThere]

Any more posts between NLUK and psychocandy in the professional forums that are just personal abuse will result in both parties being banned for a few days. We've had enough.

If you find he's off your ignore list, exercise some self control and put him back on. Do not respond. It isn't difficult.

[stek]

I just hate that word 'furlough'......

[Pherlopolus]

I would think something was wrong if I didn't have at least 5 days off a quarter, usually coincides with a 5 week month

[northernladuk]

Work to live etc so wouldn't bother me.

Who are you kidding. You'd have a post on here complaining before you'd finished reading the mail about it.

But don't let client do as one tried with me. They insisted on two weeks over Xmas despite big upgrade mid Jan that was already behind. So we protested to no avail.

Thought you weren't bothered?

First week in Jan senior pm calls everyone in and says we've all got to "put the effort in and make sacrifices" so it gets done. In other words we saved some money but now we want you to work the hours for free.

Was a bit cheeky and a few dullards did it too. I didn't.

Ah there we go, the complaining..... Normal service is resumed.

[psychocandy]

Work to live etc so wouldn't bother me.

But don't let client do as one tried with me. They insisted on two weeks over Xmas despite big upgrade mid Jan that was already behind. So we protested to no avail.

First week in Jan senior pm calls everyone in and says we've all got to "put the effort in and make sacrifices" so it gets done. In other words we saved some money but now we want you to work the hours for free.

Was a bit cheeky and a few dullards did it too. I didn't.

[LondonManc]

Pretty standard where I am currently, albeit the number of days, whether they have to be consecutive and the amount of notice given varies depending upon the direction of the wind, company share price, recent fines/criminal investigations, market volatility and a host of other reasons that make it near impossible to predict.

My strategy:
- schedule the time off when it works for me, or if I don't have any need to take it, schedule it for the last possible week
- use the time to have a much needed but oft overlooked holiday
- put a bit more effort into my oft overlooked other half
It is frustrating when there are deadlines to be met but ultimately if my client wants to make stupid decisions to meet short term internal financial targets I'll let them.

FTFY - I appreciate time off more now I'm older. I also hold hands with her a lot; it stops her shopping.

[Crossroads]

Pretty standard where I am currently, albeit the number of days, whether they have to be consecutive and the amount of notice given varies depending upon the direction of the wind, company share price, recent fines/criminal investigations, market volatility and a host of other reasons that make it near impossible to predict.

My strategy:
- schedule the time off when it works for me, or if I don't have any need to take it, schedule it for the last possible week
- use the time to have a much needed but oft overlooked holiday
- put a bit more effort into my other (part time) clients

It is frustrating when there are deadlines to be met but ultimately if my client wants to make stupid decisions to meet short term internal financial targets I'll let them.