Reply to: Turned up for first day, then had to leave

[northernladuk]

Thanks for all that. Really useful

[psychocandy]

Yep I can understand that and this one is a little grey due to working from home arrangement but it's a fine line bringing your commuting expenses to a client. I've been at a local client that wouldn't take long distance contractors on as they've had their fair share of troubles and I've been turned down for interview by a client becasue it was a remote gig and they were worried I'd have troubles with the commute.

As you say you can always request it and see what happens and it appears in this case the client was very fair.

Yeh I've had that too. Lucky for me I only do local gigs anyway. :-)

You can see a clients point of view to be honest. Get someone in for three months doing the mon-fri thing - they get offered a gig close to home - its going to tempt a lot of people.

You mention expenses. One client I worked at had a huge project with a go live date so basically packed in the contractors. It went better than expected, so, of course, the days after although they planned to have loads of people in, they decided they could could cut back.

I knew of one guy who stayed on in a hotel for two nights more because they'd originally asked him to come in the saturday after. Of course, it went well so they didnt need him - so they asked the security guard to tell him when he came in at 6am saturday morning to go home.

Thought that was a bit tight. Personally, I'd have said, look you asked me to work, I made arrangements, I turned up as requested, so you're paying me. Not sure if he ever chased it.

[northernladuk]

If you've travelled to temporary accommodation and the client is aware of this it would at the very least be terribly bad manners not to pay you at the very least your expenses. Legally perhaps not but I'm not certain - picture the situation you book flights and hotel for a contract then turn up and they say "sorry, we messed up. Bye" - it seems likely you would seek remuneration.

Yep I can understand that and this one is a little grey due to working from home arrangement but it's a fine line bringing your commuting expenses to a client. I've been at a local client that wouldn't take long distance contractors on as they've had their fair share of troubles and I've been turned down for interview by a client becasue it was a remote gig and they were worried I'd have troubles with the commute.

As you say you can always request it and see what happens and it appears in this case the client was very fair.

[d000hg]

You bill for the work you do (or turn up to site for at least). You turned up on Monday so time and effort was spent therefore billable. I would assume they do billing in half days so it would be half a day not the full one. The client has no work for you the next two days so not billable. Your contract is one of T&M and if you've spent neither there is no billing.

If you've travelled to temporary accommodation and the client is aware of this it would at the very least be terribly bad manners not to pay you at the very least your expenses. Legally perhaps not but I'm not certain - picture the situation you book flights and hotel for a contract then turn up and they say "sorry, we messed up. Bye" - it seems likely you would seek remuneration.

[northernladuk]

Would have been better if they'd paid for the days sat not earning in the hotel :-)

I think I would have stayed one night then moaned on CUK and gone down the dole office.

FTFY

[psychocandy]

Thanks for all the advice.

I'm back on site now and everything has been sorted.

Client was very apologetic and has agreed to reimburse hotel costs and move end date out by 3 days, so no real lose.

Would have been better if they'd paid for the days sat not earning in the hotel :-)

I think I would have stayed one night then gone home though.

[MonkeysUncle]

Thanks for all the advice.

I'm back on site now and everything has been sorted.

Client was very apologetic and has agreed to reimburse hotel costs and move end date out by 3 days, so no real lose.

Good result
cant ask for more than that really.

[Cadbury]

Thanks for all the advice.

I'm back on site now and everything has been sorted.

Client was very apologetic and has agreed to reimburse hotel costs and move end date out by 3 days, so no real lose.

[Lance]

Absolutely. Even after nearly 10 years of virtually end to end gigs and a healthy war chest I get jittery when being on the bench and seeing nothing on Jobserve in a morning when I first log on.

in another 10 years you'll have the hang of it

I have some benchtime starting next week due to budgetary issues. Client has said they'll have me back in a week or two. I'm determined to not look at Job sites for 2 weeks and get some decorating done.
Client is pretty good. I've done all the preparation for the project. They need to do the project. I'm the best person to do it.... So I can probably chill...

[northernladuk]

FTFY

My last benchtime (2.5 months) was spent chasing contracts when I should have been relaxing. The next contract was from an old colleague so the entire time chasing was wasted. One of the hardest things to do as a contractor is to relax when on the bench. Especially as the OP is just suffering a delay.
Caveat: assuming the warchest is suitable to allow relaxation.

Absolutely. Even after nearly 10 years of virtually end to end gigs and a healthy war chest I get jittery when being on the bench and seeing nothing on Jobserve in a morning when I first log on.

[Lance]

In stead of pacing around you should really be playing golf or gardening

FTFY

My last benchtime (2.5 months) was spent chasing contracts when I should have been relaxing. The next contract was from an old colleague so the entire time chasing was wasted. One of the hardest things to do as a contractor is to relax when on the bench. Especially as the OP is just suffering a delay.
Caveat: assuming the warchest is suitable to allow relaxation.

[Eirikur]

I'm in the same position, was supposed to start Monday, then postponed to today, now postponed to next week.

Pacing around my house waiting to see if they're finally ready for me next week.

In stead of pacing around you should really be looking for other contracts. In my experience any delay caused by the end client normally leads to no work at all. (except when it's delay waiting for background checks to come through)

[jmo21]

Well if you signed the default contract what you were offered from the recruiter then it's bad luck and as someone mentioned you can't bill them without signed/approved timesheet. I see a lot of such cases around and I am surprised to know why contractors don't negotiate the minimum number of hours per week clause to their contracts and they sound content with whatever recruiters offer them. If you had this clause in your contract then you wouldn't be asking this question.

In my personal experience it also depends on the end client, in one of my contract I couldn't start at the client location due to delay in security clearance after signing the contract and I was paid for more than 5 months while sitting at home. The client gave me access to timesheet application from home and I was simply claiming for all the time.

I would advise talk to the client that you must be paid for the waiting period otherwise you have to move on and find another contract.

That's definitely not the norm though I think. Niche skillset too?

[faisalsb]

It depends on your Contract

Well if you signed the default contract what you were offered from the recruiter then it's bad luck and as someone mentioned you can't bill them without signed/approved timesheet. I see a lot of such cases around and I am surprised to know why contractors don't negotiate the minimum number of hours per week clause to their contracts and they sound content with whatever recruiters offer them. If you had this clause in your contract then you wouldn't be asking this question.

In my personal experience it also depends on the end client, in one of my contract I couldn't start at the client location due to delay in security clearance after signing the contract and I was paid for more than 5 months while sitting at home. The client gave me access to timesheet application from home and I was simply claiming for all the time.

I would advise talk to the client that you must be paid for the waiting period otherwise you have to move on and find another contract.

[FIERCE TANK BATTLE]

I'm in the same position, was supposed to start Monday, then postponed to today, now postponed to next week.

Pacing around my house waiting to see if they're finally ready for me next week.