Reply to: Maximum allowed working days

[LondonManc]

i think i probably work at that bank ;-)
the main reason i heard for the fixed days is budgeting - they have thousands of contractors and just want to keep the cost known...at the start of the year they are given a budget of x and it looks bad if they go over that.

exceptions are made for individual contractors who are needed at specific times and also for specific projects - but thats not commonplace.

for me having the time off is brilliant - it was 2 weeks over xmas and I'm now looking at booking 6 weeks minimum holidays for the rest of the year :-)

Absolutely no problem with furlough and it's refreshing that a bank will plan it and clarify it in advance rather than springing it on you *after* you've already taken time off!

[slogger]

i think i probably work at that bank ;-)
the main reason i heard for the fixed days is budgeting - they have thousands of contractors and just want to keep the cost known...at the start of the year they are given a budget of x and it looks bad if they go over that.

exceptions are made for individual contractors who are needed at specific times and also for specific projects - but thats not commonplace.

for me having the time off is brilliant - it was 2 weeks over xmas and I'm now looking at booking 6 weeks minimum holidays for the rest of the year :-)

[alloverit]

One of the real problems I'm having with this policy is my resources that work weekends need to take off a week day or extend holidays. Definitely removes the incentive to work weekends.

[radish2008]

MrMarkyMark is spot on.

I believe this same client as above used to have 25 days in contract and sprung a surprise 8 days on top of that.
Now they have 32 days in contract ..... what will happen come November? I know I will be leaving a fair proportion of those days right to the end of the contract.

I'm not sure about that - the only stipulation in previous contracts was that 10 days had to be taken together. The difference here is that 55 billable days a quarter is being quite rigorously enforced. But it is what it is.

[Smartie]

Hi,

I know all the banks are doing no-notice furlough's, but I thought the worst case would be 2 weeks forced off over Christmas.

Many thanks

If you look at posts from a few weeks back, you'll see that a 3 week furlough made an appearance at various client sites last year.

[Razar]

MrMarkyMark is spot on.

radish2008 - If you know of another bank doing something similar I wouldn't mind having a hint Always nice to knowing what terms are going around as they seem to be changing yearly at many places

If they stick to these terms then knowing upfront how much time you need to be off is great and can be taken when more convenient.

I believe this same client as above used to have 25 days in contract and sprung a surprise 8 days on top of that.
Now they have 32 days in contract ..... what will happen come November? I know I will be leaving a fair proportion of those days right to the end of the contract.

[MrMarkyMark]

I'm thinking of the right bank I think. Unless there is another bank with exactly the same conditions in their contracts ...

As I said earlier

Sounds just like HSBC...

[radish2008]

You're thinking of a different bank on the Wharf but, yes, never a bad idea to go in on a pre-rate cut rate to soften the blow.

I'm thinking of the right bank I think. Unless there is another bank with exactly the same conditions in their contracts ...

[LondonManc]

It's their clumsy way of what they see as a fairer way to implement a 10% rate cut.

Tell them you'll take the contract at a 10% higher rate.

You're thinking of a different bank on the Wharf but, yes, never a bad idea to go in on a pre-rate cut rate to soften the blow.

[radish2008]

Thanks for the responses though, my initial thoughts when I saw it was about where I would go on holiday! So definitely no complaining from me about working a more reasonable number of days.

It's their clumsy way of what they see as a fairer way to implement a 10% rate cut.

Tell them you'll take the contract at a 10% higher rate.

[elpato]

52 * 5 = 260 working days - 7 days bank holiday - 28 days holiday - 5 days sickness / appointments etc

= 220

I normally budget for 220 days myself.

You've missed out a bank holiday

Either way, why are you complaining so much about having to take a total of 32 days off? Enjoy it! If you really want to work so much, take it all off as a block and find a short-term contract in the meantime...

EDIT: re: it being negotiable - nope. It's a bank-wide policy, if it's the one we're all thinking of.

[vwdan]

220 days is my annual target - one of the beauties of contracting is that it allows me the flexibility to improve my work/life balance.

Right! I think my first "Oh, shi...." moment when trying permie again was seeing the annual leave entitlement written down and thinking "Christ, I've had more than that this year already".

If I can match permie pay AND work way less then I'm still winning IMHO

[FarmerPalmer]

52 * 5 = 260 working days - 7 days bank holiday - 28 days holiday - 5 days sickness / appointments etc

= 220

I normally budget for 220 days myself.

[SueEllen]

learn to ski

Snowboard.

Luge.

Alternatively take up diving so you have to go somewhere warm in winter.

[Lance]

What would be nice with this is to be able to have extra time off when you want rather in the middle of bloody winter!

learn to ski