Reply to: Turning down contract after verbal acceptance?

[psychocandy]

yeah I appreciate it's very unlikely they'd do it but I was just thinking of the very extreme case of a petty company that says you signed a binding contract, we want you to start on the agreed date.

Never in a million years - they'll just be pissed off....

Current client got a guy in as perm. Lived miles away (towards london). The pay was crap where I was - there was no way he was going to drive miles when he could paid more closer to home.

I could see it happening - didn't turn up first day then never heard from again.

Used to happen all the time to this client. Part of the reason was they were slow with the recruitment process (and the pay was crap) that people just found better offers in the interim.

[psychocandy]

Has this thread now lasted longer than PC on most of his contracts?

4 1/2 years last one big boy

[psychocandy]

Politely decline the offer ASAP

Why the else would you actually turn up on day 1 and then leave.

Turn up on Day 1? they'll be well pleased with that...

[northernladuk]

Has this thread now lasted longer than PC on most of his contracts?

It's the only one he's ever had that's not been locked or moved so we've got to make the most of it.

[SimonMac]

Has this thread now lasted longer than PC on most of his contracts?

[NotAllThere]

Additionally... They can't sue you for breach, they can't compel you to come to work (something to do with antislavery law). If you don't turn up, they either have to sack you (gross misconduct) or pay you (same as when people want to quit a job early). Guess which they'll choose?

[northernladuk]

The notice period in the early days will be a week or a month.

So you turn up and don't do anything while playing on your phone. No company is going to want that regardless of how petty they are.

+1 to this. Not only does your mate not do any work but there is time and money to on board him, the risk of giving him access when he's just going to leave and so on. It's just not going to happen. There are rules around contract and there is common sense which trumps all that.

You are way over thinking it.

[eek]

yeah I appreciate it's very unlikely they'd do it but I was just thinking of the very extreme case of a petty company that says you signed a binding contract, we want you to start on the agreed date.

The notice period in the early days will be a week or a month.

So you turn up and don't do anything while playing on your phone. No company is going to want that regardless of how petty they are.

[PCTNN]

yeah I appreciate it's very unlikely they'd do it but I was just thinking of the very extreme case of a petty company that says you signed a binding contract, we want you to start on the agreed date.

[eek]

Slight different scenario but still kind of on-topic

Asking for a friend (this time for real!)

Also, in this scenario we're in the permie world, not contract although a contract of employment is a contract of employment...

We've established that if I receive an offer from company A and I accept only verbally, then there's no issue whatsoever if I decline the offer. Definitely not ethical, but not illegal either.

If instead I sign the offer of employment from company A, send back and start the process of background checks and what not, but THEN change my mind for whatever reason (better opportunity from company B), what are my options at this stage?

• decline the offer ASAP and hope the company won't sue me for breach of contract (has this ever happened?)
• hand in my notice on day 1
• anything else?

Either way I'd be burning all my bridges with company A (and rightfully so)

Politely decline the offer ASAP

Why the else would you actually turn up on day 1 and then leave.

[PCTNN]

Slight different scenario but still kind of on-topic

Asking for a friend (this time for real!)

Also, in this scenario we're in the permie world, not contract although a contract of employment is a contract of employment...

We've established that if I receive an offer from company A and I accept only verbally, then there's no issue whatsoever if I decline the offer. Definitely not ethical, but not illegal either.

If instead I sign the offer of employment from company A, send back and start the process of background checks and what not, but THEN change my mind for whatever reason (better opportunity from company B), what are my options at this stage?

• decline the offer ASAP and hope the company won't sue me for breach of contract (has this ever happened?)
• hand in my notice on day 1
• anything else?

Either way I'd be burning all my bridges with company A (and rightfully so)

[psychocandy]

Had something similar with a gig that was confirmed by the agent (verbally only)that the end client wanted me, but it would take 4 weeks to sort everything out, in the mean time I asked them by email and over the phone several questions and status updates. never got any reply until the day before I was supposed to start.
I told them I had started somewhere else as they never replied to any of my questions, they were not amused, well neither was I with them.

Yep exactly the same thing with me......

[ladymuck]

Just have to remember... No feedback is all the feedback you need. If the gig will go ahead the agent will be all over you like a rash, if it's not you'll hear nothing. End of. No point chasing for updates. The agent will contact you when you are needed and not until. One thing I am sure agents don't do is dally when there is money on the table.

This is very true.

[northernladuk]

Just have to remember... No feedback is all the feedback you need. If the gig will go ahead the agent will be all over you like a rash, if it's not you'll hear nothing. End of. No point chasing for updates. The agent will contact you when you are needed and not until. One thing I am sure agents don't do is dally when there is money on the table.

[Eirikur]

To be honest, they've ghosted me the last two weeks when I've been chasing for an update for the gig...... Whenever I've tried to call I get "he'll call you back". Never did.
They promised to let me know when the client had sent them a PO and they never did. I even msged the one guy via linked in to say "did you get my email asking for an update?" Reply "yes"

Had something similar with a gig that was confirmed by the agent (verbally only)that the end client wanted me, but it would take 4 weeks to sort everything out, in the mean time I asked them by email and over the phone several questions and status updates. never got any reply until the day before I was supposed to start.
I told them I had started somewhere else as they never replied to any of my questions, they were not amused, well neither was I with them.