Reply to: What is the most effective excuse to immediately terminate a contract?

[psychocandy]

Talking about returning laptop I did a short gig for a government dept just before xmas.

Wouldn't post out the laptop I had to pick it up - closest place to me London. So £200 on the train (they paid), pretty much whole day. I don't care I'm getting paid. Get there "Ah you're down for a mac too but its not ready can you come back next week?". Same next week.

Gig came to an end shorter than expected. "Can you drop laptops back on last day?" Yeh no problem. (At least I brought two back this time).

What a complete waste of money. 3 days billing for me. plus 3x £200 train fares.

[courtg9000]

I probably suffer from more health issues than most on here.
My adviceis to tell the truth BUT have a fit (sick) note from your doctor signing you off for a month or more in your back pocket just in case anyone gets arsey.

[northernladuk]

Tractor - good for you for putting you're health first. Been there years ago and its not cool. Got to look after yourself.

I'm with everyone else here - be honest but be limited with the info (after all its none of their business exactly). They might be narked off and they might even guess the reason but they'll get over it. Most people are a bit more understanding than they were 20 or so years ago.....

No reason why they wont pay you for work done.

I'd possibly be even more vague with the agent though. Whereas you might find the manager at client is, hopefully, an understanding human being, who despite being a little upset will understand. Not so sure about an agent who will be more concerned about their cut and how much commision they're losing.

Good luck and hope it all works out for you....

To be fair though, everything you do tends to end in disaster and we hear about it on here endlessly and that is exactly what the OP is trying to avoid.

[psychocandy]

Tractor - good for you for putting you're health first. Been there years ago and its not cool. Got to look after yourself.

I'm with everyone else here - be honest but be limited with the info (after all its none of their business exactly). They might be narked off and they might even guess the reason but they'll get over it. Most people are a bit more understanding than they were 20 or so years ago.....

No reason why they wont pay you for work done.

I'd possibly be even more vague with the agent though. Whereas you might find the manager at client is, hopefully, an understanding human being, who despite being a little upset will understand. Not so sure about an agent who will be more concerned about their cut and how much commision they're losing.

Good luck and hope it all works out for you....

[PCTNN]

Death in the family works wonders.

Death of your triplet. This you can use twice.

[cojak]

This. Don't worry about that bit. If it's a big enough client it will be someone on the service desk that doesn't give a hoot about your situation. There will be no stress in this area. Just see it as a step to closure to get out of your situation. Once the laptops gone you should have the chance to start afresh and look after yourself.

Absolutely. That was the second laptop I had - the first one got to me damaged and squashed with a broken screen cos the couldn’t give a hoot support team sent it via a courier in just the bag…

[northernladuk]

And as for sending the laptop back - spend a tenner at the post office and get a suitable box, bubble wrap and tape and send it via a trustworthy courier (Client used DPD) - it will get back to the client ok.

This. Don't worry about that bit. If it's a big enough client it will be someone on the service desk that doesn't give a hoot about your situation. There will be no stress in this area. Just see it as a step to closure to get out of your situation. Once the laptops gone you should have the chance to start afresh and look after yourself.

[cojak]

And as for sending the laptop back - spend a tenner at the post office and get a suitable box, bubble wrap and tape and send it via a trustworthy courier (Client used DPD) - it will get back to the client ok.

[mattster]

I've always been a believer that honesty is the best policy. With most corporations focusing on 'wellness', particularly mental health. You'll be surprised at the level of understanding and support you'll get.

This is unequivocally the best answer. Explain the situation to them exactly as you have done here. If you don't feel up to doing this in person/on the phone, then put it in an email. If you feel embarassed about telling them this, don't be. This course of action will result in the least push back from them, IMO, and also make you feel much better about the situation - having told the simple truth, you won't have to worry about them chasing you up, and either avoiding contact/making up further embellishments to whatever story you originally told them. And if you haven't already, make sure you get the medical attention you need - don't be embarassed about this if it is putting you, doctors deal with these problems multiple times a day and you would be amazed how many others around are suffering or have suffered similar. I speak from personal experience here as someone who waited far too long to do the same after having what turned out to be a panic attack in a meeting some 20 years ago.

[northernladuk]

I didn't realise you'd seen their contract. Did they send it via DM for you to review?

No but do I need to? Contracts are 99% the same and the clauses to keep a contract outside are usually exactly the same. Even inside ones have the same clauses. There has never been a clause allowing this and it wouldn't pass an IR35 check so yes, if you want to be anal about it, I haven't seen his contract but knowing what we know about contracts it's highly unlikely to have this type of clause.
Quite happy to hear your experiences and be proven wrong.

[d000hg]

I've always been a believer that honesty is the best policy. With most corporations focusing on 'wellness', particularly mental health. You'll be surprised at the level of understanding and support you'll get.

Definitely. Worst case you tell them and they are dicks and then you just walk anyway but it seems very unlikely you'd get more than a frustrated response and more likely their sympathy.

[d000hg]

There isn't such a thing. You have a contract to deliver a certain piece of work and while the client is offering work you are obliged to do that work.

I didn't realise you'd seen their contract. Did they send it via DM for you to review?

[PerfectStorm]

I've always been a believer that honesty is the best policy. With most corporations focusing on 'wellness', particularly mental health. You'll be surprised at the level of understanding and support you'll get.

This. I know some people who've used it very effectively.

[northernladuk]

Do you have a MOO clause - i.e. are you obliged to work your notice or can you give notice and not come in?.

There isn't such a thing. You have a contract to deliver a certain piece of work and while the client is offering work you are obliged to do that work. MoO or lack thereof is about offering extra work after, or during the agreed piece of work. If there is an expectation that the client has to pay you or find you new work after your contract regardless of what you do shows MoO. It seems unfair but it's a client supplier relationship so it's not equal. If they offer you work you have to do it, if they don't offer you work you don't get paid. This is more T&M and not MoO.

[KpMrJ]

I know many on here will berate me for considering a very unethical, non business approach to terminating a contract. However, I have anxiety issues, which recently resurfaced again a week and a half into a new, very stressful contract and which is making concentrating and my ability to do my job effectively almost impossible on a day to day basis.

With the contract being 1 week's notice the thought of working that week is even more anxiety inducing, particularly as there are a number of workshops and presentations that I am due to be giving. What immediate excuse could I realistically give for not working tomorrow, for terminating, for not only giving notice, but for also not working my notice? I really do not wish to go into detail about my personal health issues and would rather avoid having to have an awkward conversation with the client or agency, particularly as the client had been very willing to wait for a number of weeks for me to start. I do feel like I would be letting them down but am unable to continue. If

Any advise would be welcome

Have been through this myself most recently.
Having started a contract Q3 last year, straight into a fairly toxic environment with stressful delivery timescales & sh!tty end client ( 10yrs ago would have relished enjoyed the challenge ).....
Very quickly felt anxiety levels raising, and was unable to focus or keep it together most days.


Took the agent to one side on a call and explained the situation, that my mental health was suffering badly. We then had an open and honest conversation with budget sponsor and agreed an exit strategy.

Suffered with PTSD previously, and thought I had my associated anxiety & depression under control, and was in a better place. Quickly found out that it was not the case.......
Taken 5+ months out, sought out some help and support. Feeling my more 'balanced' these days. Researched & using more homeopathic ( legal ! ) remedies, which help a lot.

I've always been a believer that honesty is the best policy. With most corporations focusing on 'wellness', particularly mental health. You'll be surprised at the level of understanding and support you'll get.



I wish you well, take some time out and refresh the ol'grey matter.