Contracting issues with Client

[Hobosapien]

In situations like these what really pays off is if you can remain in a contractor mindset and not become some permietractor dependent on the client.

i.e. Ensure each contract is not one you are unable to walk away from so when tulip happens you can walk or start looking for other work without being scared of losing your job or looking bad at performance reviews for a 1% pay rise or career ladder prospects. You will also feel more free to stick to your deliverables in a reasonable way, declining anything that feels too unreasonable without proper discussion of why that approach is necessary. If it's just some newbie trying to make his presence felt then don't get dragged into their games. You're only stuck at the client for however long your notice period is and sometimes that is zero. With a big enough 'warchest' to fall back on stress is for permies.

Ignore any chat unless it's directly to you, it may all just be permie chinese whisper bollox around the water cooler. Worry what those responsible for your contract and timesheet approval are saying, they're the only ones that matter as long as you're delivering what was agreed and can prove it by keeping notes/emails of everything that happens. You can then hand them over if you decide to walk, to backup your reasons why, which may prevent you from totally burning the bridge with the client so could potentially return in future when this PM has moved on.

If it's all not that bad then just 'keep calm and carry on invoicing'.

[washed up contractor]

When he (the new PM) schedules meetings outside of core hours(!?), just send a decline response via Outlook (seeing as these types like to schedule meetings this way).

There's nothing worse than some arsehole PM who thinks he \ she can make contractors jump through hoops at their every whim. You have to train them in the contractors way.

If they refuse to comply or grow a titty lip at your actions then you're only real option is to leave because you will find out of core hour meetings become just the tip of the iceberg.

Having a 'friendly chat' will only work if he \ she is 'friendly' which they do not appear to be. As for 'has he \ she got a reason' for the scheduling, yes, he \ she wants to ingratiate himself \ herself with their boss and show you who is in charge!

Did I say I was retired? This weather is really great although I do not arise until 9:15am in the mornings now.

[BigDataPro]

If you can talk the talk and walk the walk then you let him know indirectly that if you walk away, the loss is for the project and not to yourself.

In my current project the PM asked if I can work during Bank Holiday. I was glad to help the client as I had no plans. I always do during urgent timelines, fixes etc. After all, we are there to help them succeed.
However, it became a habit for him sending work related messages after core hours since I offered to work during bank holiday. Within next few days, I blocked his number (it was my personal mobile) and next day he wanted to know if I had received his message. I told him that I had blocked his number...lol as his messages are reaching my mobile either late night or early morning. He took my message and stopped his message ....

[northernladuk]

Sounds a little like you've been very comfortable and are a bit part and parcel so now someone has come along who want's his pound of flesh from the contractors and you've been too comfortable so it's a bit of a shock.

Does also sound like he's a bit of a bum hole as well to be fair but still...

been told how important my work is to the client.

Who told you and if it was the agent you didn't really believe this did you?

Now because of these my Integrity and Competence has been questioned

The only thing that should be questioned is why do you have these an why does it matter? You are a contractor working for money. Your invoice is all. Half of us would be permanently on the bench if those two attributes were important

[simes]

Have you (28) had a half hour chat with the PM to see what if anything is motivating him to change meets to outside of core hours and also what, if anything, is making him talk behind your back.

He may have real reasons for the calls, he may not. He may also be talking about everyone behind their backs.

Better to head this off between just the two of you rather involving the world and reacting irrationally. (I only say irrationally in case there are really some reasons for his actions)

Good luck.

[BlasterBates]

No, just ignore, let it wash over you, make sure you're diligent and ensure things are tested even if it takes longer, don't worry about bugs, in a court of law a bug in a piece of code as an accusation would be met with guffaws of laughter, as long as you showed due diligence on test cases and ensure QA procedures are adhered to.

Think to yourself what can they actually accuse you of, from your description it's nothing just vague accusations.

This happens all the time. In terms of preserving reputation the best way is to continue doggedly until your contract expires.

[Old Greg]

Leave - lifes too short to deal with bellends.

You must clear out a client site pretty fast.

[psychocandy]

Leave - lifes too short to deal with bellends.

[LondonManc]

If you have a good business relationship with his seniors and evidence of his feck up, then have a draft email ready to go at a suitable moment. Incompetence and other barriers to you being about to complete your contracted deliverables need highlighting. More to the point, if the new PM is a contractor, they need a slap and a reminder about what the differences between being a contractor and being a perm are.

Be careful about becoming part and parcel too - two and a half years and there's talk about them depending on you isn't great, unless you can get yourself referred to as "their favourite supplier" rather than being seen as part of the firm.

[Old Greg]

Morning:

I have been contracting with my current client now for 2 and a half years and never had an issue. I've even had a rate increase and been told how important my work is to the client.

Recently a new PM has started on the project and has changed everything. He now books meetings outside the clients core hours and expects everyone to attend. Fair enough just suck it up.

In the last couple of weeks though he has been making comments behind my back about what time I get into the office. (Hourly paid not day rate) and as I've been hugely affected by the Northern Rail fiasco, he has even been questioning whether or not my trains are late or I'm just using this as an excuse for getting in at 9am. (Still within the clients core hours)

We work on 2 external client databases which one is the end customer and one is my client, last week there were IT issues with both and as such both systems were making it difficult to perform my daily role. This is partially down to said PM breaking one of the systems by removing code.

Now because of these my Integrity and Competence has been questioned and as a contractor that's never a good place to be, but is there anything that should be done.
If contract is terminated because of issues that the client has caused or because of their poor management can anything be done legally?

I definately feel like there's a bit of defamation here against myself and my company and due to the circumstances of the project this could harm future prospects.

Hard to see what legal remedy you might have, although if you are booted off and really keen you could make a subject access request and then see if any grossly defamatory statements come to light. Not worth the bother IMO. I see your options as:

1. Find something better and walk. No shame in that.
2. Hang on in there.
3. Gently fight back. You can't do much about the train situation except get an earlier train, if possible and if you can be bothered. However, if the PM has broken a system by removing code, you could raise an issue. The PRINCE2 viewo n this is below and I imagine other PM methodologies are similar:

A project issue is a communication from anyone in the project or anyone with an interest in the project and it is sent directly to the project manager.
An issue can be sent to any time during the project and it can be about anything, in particular it does not have to relate to change.

The issue could say something like:

'X and Y databases have had limited availability between x date and y date, due to <insert causes, worded dependent on how combative you are feeling>, leading to an inability to start / progress / complete <insert list of tasks on the project schedule>'.

Next project team meeting, ask for an update on where the issue is logged,and how it's been managed, and for a revised work plan to get the project back on track. Should keep the PM out of mischief for a while.

[NotAllThere]

PM who insists everyone attends his meetings? Run!

[Cirrus]

Twentyeight, the sense I get from your post is you've led a charmed existence for the past two-and-a-half years and suddenly you are confronted with the normal dyfunctional, incompetent, chaotic, threatening reality of UK IT in 2018. (I say 'IT' rather than 'contracting' because permies get the same thing only much worse - they stand no chance of being paid extra for coming in early/staying late whereas you stand a little bit of a chance). There's no harm in walking but (from my experience) it could well be out of the frying pan into the fire.

[Eirikur]

There's nothing you can do except start to look for other roles and walk

[Twentyeight Ltd]

Morning:

I have been contracting with my current client now for 2 and a half years and never had an issue. I've even had a rate increase and been told how important my work is to the client.

Recently a new PM has started on the project and has changed everything. He now books meetings outside the clients core hours and expects everyone to attend. Fair enough just suck it up.

In the last couple of weeks though he has been making comments behind my back about what time I get into the office. (Hourly paid not day rate) and as I've been hugely affected by the Northern Rail fiasco, he has even been questioning whether or not my trains are late or I'm just using this as an excuse for getting in at 9am. (Still within the clients core hours)

We work on 2 external client databases which one is the end customer and one is my client, last week there were IT issues with both and as such both systems were making it difficult to perform my daily role. This is partially down to said PM breaking one of the systems by removing code.

Now because of these my Integrity and Competence has been questioned and as a contractor that's never a good place to be, but is there anything that should be done.
If contract is terminated because of issues that the client has caused or because of their poor management can anything be done legally?

I definately feel like there's a bit of defamation here against myself and my company and due to the circumstances of the project this could harm future prospects.