Reply to: Holiday request

[BritishLad88]

Most clients can't get away from "annual leave". Even when they know I'm working for another client they still call it annual leave....... It's not a real problem though. Just a slight annoyance.

yeah exactly. I know what you mean.

I used to gig for a top end investment bank. i've told them many times that I'm a contractor such that i provide you with a service and our relationship is b2b.
But yet, whenever I tell them that i'm not available on a particular day; they request me to enter into their HR employee system and input as "annual leave"
I mean... it's frustrating, they don't get it don't they.

I say; wait, i'm not an employee. they reply; yes but you need to comply with our systems & procedures

...sigh...

[Lance]

I wouldn’t use the term holiday in this context. Holiday is between yourself. It rings Permie to me. Also I wouldn’t describe this as a job. Again, it’s a contract so it’s not a ‘job’. All this references to job makes it sounds like a permie situation but it shouldn’t be and it’s definitely not.

Just need to say you’re not available or won’t be in.

Most clients can't get away from "annual leave". Even when they know I'm working for another client they still call it annual leave....... It's not a real problem though. Just a slight annoyance.

[BritishLad88]

I started contracting last October and dropped in to a nice job, good hours, good money and good staff. Unfortunately it was only a going to be a temporary contract for 6-8 weeks.

Dan

Just to add more to my reply above...

I wouldn’t use the term holiday in this context. Holiday is between yourself. It rings Permie to me. Also I wouldn’t describe this as a job. Again, it’s a contract so it’s not a ‘job’. All this references to job makes it sounds like a permie situation but it shouldn’t be and it’s definitely not.

Just need to say you’re not available or won’t be in.

[BritishLad88]

If you’re a contractor (and assuming you work under a PSC model, apologies if you don’t ) then you really don’t need to tell your end client if and when you take your holidays as there’s no such things.

Under PSC model you’re being employed by your own ltd. So you’re employee of your own ltd company. If you need you really need to, you can tell your employer ( yourself ) that you’re going away on holiday.

As far as you and and your client concerned. You just need to notify them within reasonable time before hand you will not be available / won’t turn up. You don’t have to explain your reasons to them.

[PerfectStorm]

EXACTLY....

I did do a gig once. Only 6 weeks. It was all ramping up towards one particular day in the year. Quite rightly at interview they asked if anyone had any holiday plans more than an odd day.

Seemed fair to me - they didn't want anyone taking a week off on go live week.

That's reasonable.

If instead it's a 6 month contract where I have a week off in the middle, the booking of the holiday more often transpires after I've started

Nothing an agent wouldn't do. It's not like they're upfront about Christmas contractor breaks.

[PCTNN]

Not all agency systems allow you to do this though....

In which case, you just go on holiday, submit no timesheet and when the agent calls you and JUST THEN you say that you didn't work for that period.

By letting them know in advance, even if it's just an FYI, you're giving them the impression that they have a power they actually don't have. You're creating an expectation that the agents will have towards all other contractors. You're promoting a wrong behaviour.

[psychocandy]

Then why not submit a 0 days timesheet? That's what I've always done. It confirms nothing is billable for that period rather than you just being late/forgetful/client being naff, etc.

Not all agency systems allow you to do this though....

[NotAllThere]

No carpet involved? Can't be true.

Carpet? It took us ages to roll it up.

[eek]

It's also what I've done if I've not been logged into client site for a month.

As a hiring manager, I've twice had people tell me from the off that they're not available for a specific date - one at the end of the development phase before moving to the testing phase (agile hadn't been invented). It wasn't an issue. I just managed it.

Although in both cases idiot PMs got involved and massively pissed off my ablest and most key contractors. It's ok though - we caught up with said PMs in a dark car park and "explained" that you don't mess with the dev team.*



* This last sentence may contain hyperbole or untruths.

No carpet involved? Can't be true.

[NotAllThere]

Then why not submit a 0 days timesheet? That's what I've always done. It confirms nothing is billable for that period rather than you just being late/forgetful/client being naff, etc.

It's also what I've done if I've not been logged into client site for a month.

As a hiring manager, I've twice had people tell me from the off that they're not available for a specific date - one at the end of the development phase before moving to the testing phase (agile hadn't been invented). It wasn't an issue. I just managed it.

Although in both cases idiot PMs got involved and massively pissed off my ablest and most key contractors. It's ok though - we caught up with said PMs in a dark car park and "explained" that you don't mess with the dev team.*



* This last sentence may contain hyperbole or untruths.

[ladymuck]

I agree but they're gonna notice when theres no timesheet for the week. I've found a lot will then phone you anyway and say "oh no timesheet for last week?"

In this case, I couldn't be arsed to argue and said "fine I'll tell you". Bit pointless but if the agent was happy thinking she's authorised my leave (which had been sorted anyway) who am I to spoil their fun ;-)

Then why not submit a 0 days timesheet? That's what I've always done. It confirms nothing is billable for that period rather than you just being late/forgetful/client being naff, etc.

[psychocandy]

You are not their employee, presumably you are an employee through your own ltd company. If you employed a builder to build an extension for you and they had a holiday booked in the middle of the job, then you are the customer would have to either accept the delay or choose another supplier. Do you really think the builder would drop their holiday because their customer told them to. That would only happen if the customer made it worth their while.

As others have said, I'd accept the extension but with the warning that you will not be available for the time in July. The client does have 6 and a bit months to prepare

EXACTLY....

I did do a gig once. Only 6 weeks. It was all ramping up towards one particular day in the year. Quite rightly at interview they asked if anyone had any holiday plans more than an odd day.

Seemed fair to me - they didn't want anyone taking a week off on go live week.

[psychocandy]

Why did you even agree to let the agent know you had holidays sorted with the client? I've never let an agent know about my holidays plan. After you start a contract, the only interaction you need to have with an agent is when it's extension time or of you're giving notice.

I agree but they're gonna notice when theres no timesheet for the week. I've found a lot will then phone you anyway and say "oh no timesheet for last week?"

In this case, I couldn't be arsed to argue and said "fine I'll tell you". Bit pointless but if the agent was happy thinking she's authorised my leave (which had been sorted anyway) who am I to spoil their fun ;-)

[BoredBloke]

You are not their employee, presumably you are an employee through your own ltd company. If you employed a builder to build an extension for you and they had a holiday booked in the middle of the job, then you are the customer would have to either accept the delay or choose another supplier. Do you really think the builder would drop their holiday because their customer told them to. That would only happen if the customer made it worth their while.

As others have said, I'd accept the extension but with the warning that you will not be available for the time in July. The client does have 6 and a bit months to prepare

[thebone]

Why did you even agree to let the agent know you had holidays sorted with the client? I've never let an agent know about my holidays plan. After you start a contract, the only interaction you need to have with an agent is when it's extension time or of you're giving notice.

Agents like to know the reason why they earn nothing for doing nothing on those days you are off, instead of the usual loads of money for doing nothing.