Reply to: What is the best excuse you have used to get out of a contract immediately?

[blossom]

Travel

Unless it's truly, truly awful then I wouldn't try and get out early, I'd just wait to the end and not extend. However, I'm not going preach because I loathe my currently contract and have quit early, now working out my notice and hating every single second of it.

Being on site is very specific to each client, and how well set up they are culturally. Some are total skype and IM users, others culturally operate by sitting face to face and walking across the office to talk to each other. You have to explore that culture before you join. ALso, some roles are more conducive to home working than others.

Re: your situation though. Because of my location (a long way from any city), I always have to travel and alwyas try to negotiate some home working. The interview usually goes along the lines of me asking if I can work from home, but telling them that I would gladly work full time in their office for the first few weeks, while we establish the trust that is needed for home working. I accept this as part of the deal.

One one occasion this didn't quite work out and the guy didn't wan't me doing any home working (wasn't personal, he liked the whole team in the office every day). After 6 months of being away from my husband and kids from sunday night to friday night, i threw toys out of pram and said I wouldn't be renewing. They soon (i.e. immediately) changed their mind and promised me two days a week from that point.

My point is, if you want these perks of home working, you need to get to know them and establish some trust. When you have done that, people will be fair more flexible. Make yourself indispensable and when it comes round to renewal time, negotiate far better location terms.

[b0redom]

Can't you just put your big boy pants on and go see whoever signs your timesheets and say, "Look, I was told this was going to be occasional travel. If it's going to be every week it's not going to work. Can we agree on something mutually acceptable, or I'll have to start handing over to someone else?"

[psychocandy]

Which client was this out of curiosity?

As others have said, I find it strange that they underplayed things during the interview as anything but total transparency is just going to cause trouble for all involved. That said, when I start at a new client i like to be onsite for the first while as its the best way to get up to speed and also helps build some sort of degree of confidence in you and trust etc.

I'd either give your notice and explain why or have an informal chat with whoever you're reporting in to.

Yeh in my experience, as I said, clients overplay it in interview if anything because they dont want the hassle down the line.

Current client tend to ask me nicely if theres something to be done after 4pm lol. Public sector = a whole different world.

[jmo21]

Tell them this wasn't what you were told in the interview. Tell them what you are prepared to do. If it doesn't suit them offer to stay until they find a replacement. Either that or they will just bin you. Either way you get out.

The client won't want you there if you can't do what they want so should be a pretty simple negotiation.

This is all you need to do, though what you discussed in the interview was a bit woolly "not every week". I'd have wanted something way more specific.

[ascender]

Which client was this out of curiosity?

As others have said, I find it strange that they underplayed things during the interview as anything but total transparency is just going to cause trouble for all involved. That said, when I start at a new client i like to be onsite for the first while as its the best way to get up to speed and also helps build some sort of degree of confidence in you and trust etc.

I'd either give your notice and explain why or have an informal chat with whoever you're reporting in to.

[gables]

I'm close to Edinburgh, sub me in, then sit back and relax what did you say the work was

[ChimpMaster]

SDC --> IR35.

Dictate your terms as far as possible, professionally, without impacting the client's business or the project requirement.

I would say that for the first few weeks it's usually a good idea to show face so as to build trust and to learn the ways of working at a new client.

As for getting out, assuming no MOO, just give notice and take it from there.

[northernladuk]

Just out of interest, did the idea of you going every month stop shortly after they'd met you the first time?

Savage AF

[TheFaQQer]

I had one client who said I had to visit their customer once a month - ended up going twice in two years.

Just out of interest, did the idea of you going every month stop shortly after they'd met you the first time?

[psychocandy]

Hmm if they deffo said in interview not every week then I'd be a bit put out that they wanted two days every week now.

Sounds like they knew it'd put people off. To be honest, in my experience, clients tend to overplay it in the interview to avoid this sort of thing. i.e. No "you didn't tell me that" when you show up first week.

I had one client who said I had to visit their customer once a month - ended up going twice in two years. Almost all will tell you if there are any strange support hours or out of hours needed. Same reason - they told you so you can't kick off later.

I had similar years ago mind. It was going to be 6 weeks working away in one office, then back to local office. Of course, rocked up first day and manager hadnt been involved in things and he took me into office today and said "sorry but its going to be on site here permanently". Gave that a week then bailed. The rate just wasnt good enough to pay for hotels too - I only agreed to 6 weeks as a bit of a loss leader.

If it was me in your position, if I could afford it I'd just say no can do two days a week. And see what they say. They'll either back down and let you stay (and do once a fortnight or something) or can you. Either way sorted....

[TheFaQQer]

If they clearly misled you, then I would also have a word with the IPSE advice line. Assuming you're an IPSE+ member then the business interruption cover can pay out up to £1000 for an agency breaching the contract, so I would have a look at that.

[l35kee]

Hmm, what would I do..

I'd explain that the work feels really interesting and I'm excited to be part of the team. I also have many commitments outside of work that I am reluctant to forego. I would then say I appreciate that it is important to embed in the team properly, and so I would be happy to spend x amount of time on site for the first n weeks. With the intention to then spend y days on site every z weeks, however we could review this after the first t weeks to ensure it is still suitable. If it looks like this kind of arrangement isn't working out, I'd sadly wish the team well and pursue other opportunities closer to home.

But that's just me.

[SueEllen]

Give them thirty days notice to terminate and advise you will not be available during that time. Do tell them why.

^^^This

If they clearly mislead you during interview then tell them straight.

They clearly thought that if they lie you would suck it up however if you have in demand skills then you don't have to, and they will find themselves not being able to find and keep contractors or permies.

[northernladyuk]

Advice pleaseI . I'm a week into a 3 month gig and I've realised I've been done 'good and proper. ' In the client interview I was told I'd have 'to travel' down to their Edinburgh office to see my team but not 'every week' , 150 miles away. Yet on the first day of starting my Lead basically said he thinks I should be there 2 days a week for the first few weeks. I also found it the guy I'm taking over from is there for 2 days EVERY week and he only lives in n Liverpool. I wouldn't have taken the gig if I knew this was going to be the case. I relayed back to my other lead that that wasn't what I was expecting and have other commitments outside of work so couldn't. It would not be often.

Fast forward to day two, the guy brings it up again in the middle of a meeting with one of the really senior guys. ...'so how often could you realistically come down? ". I agreed to go down to meet the team next week but in 2017 in a company that has Skype, email etc. why travel so often when meetings can be held other ways. Since then I've received invites for team lunch the week after in, surprise surprise in Edinburgh which I have not responded to- it seems as though the client is trying to force me to go whether I want to or not.

The problem is with a ridiculous 30 day notice in my contract, regardless of the length of time I am there I am well and truly stitched up. I feel pretty cheesed and really want to bail out before next week when I have to go down. I've basically got myself into a situation In struggling to get out of and on top of that the work is looking different to what I expected, being completely thrown in at the deep end, and being the only contractor in a team of permies. Ever had a similar situation? What did you do or what reason/excuse did you give (no matter how bad) to be able to terminate your contract quickly and how did it pan out?

Give them thirty days notice to terminate and advise you will not be available during that time. Do tell them why.

[MrMarkyMark]

I should have added that I think this is not for just the first few weeks as, like I said, the other guy is down there 3 nights a week when he only was told it would just be for the start. It's not that I would never do this for a contract but at this time I can't. I literally have commitments/ pre- paid activities related to interests and hobbies that I do outside of work most evenings which I'm really not prepared to give up which this would mean if I had to go every week with overnight stays. I basically have an active life outside of work....

Firstly, never GAS what anyone elses situation is, you need to negotiate your own.

Speak to the lead, play a little hardball tell him its a deal breaker.

Obviously, attending for the 1st few weeks, as agreed, should be a given.