Asked to do overtime at short notice

[d000hg]

If you had to go in to the office for 10mins, billing day-rate seems reasonable unless you agree something adhoc, to do so WFH I would struggle with unless the client made it very clear they don't care/the value of getting it done makes it worth a day's rate.

Stipulating working hours and out of hours rates in a schedule seems quite reasonable if it's you dictating it - I have a clause that I bill a full day if I have to visit the end customer's site.

[PerfectStorm]

Overtime is an employment concept. If you are outside IR35, wouldn't touch that with a bargepole.
10 mins. I'd do for free. If you get bent out of shape over 10 mins there's something toxic in the relationship and I'd be looking to move on. I certainly wouldn't rape the client for a full day.

But up to you. Be careful though, if you establish tacit terms that any part of a day equals a full day it goes both ways. This is business, not employment.

Indeed to all of this. You're setting up an expectation that every single day you bill for is going to be ultimately accounted for it balls to the wall work. I wouldn't want that for the sake of 10 mins free work.

[PerfectStorm]

My work/personal laptop are the same and I have teams on my phone/laptop. Rookie mistake on my part

Nothing to stop you from closing the app.

Also - billing a day for 10 mins work out of schedule? I think that's going to cause you more problems. I'd take it on the chin if a one off (contractors should understand the concept of give and take) and maybe bill a quarter day if it becomes regular/planned/expected, or leave early one day to make up.

[CalmEddie]

Overtime is an employment concept. If you are outside IR35, wouldn't touch that with a bargepole.
10 mins. I'd do for free. If you get bent out of shape over 10 mins there's something toxic in the relationship and I'd be looking to move on. I certainly wouldn't rape the client for a full day.

But up to you. Be careful though, if you establish tacit terms that any part of a day equals a full day it goes both ways. This is business, not employment.

[mgrover]

I made it very clear to the client after the fact exactly what happened. Ie 10mins to a day rate. I setup a call with them the next day to explain if they wanted me to work anymore overtime then we'd have to agree the rates for that.

They seemed happy with that.

[mgrover]

To avoid in the future, don't be contactable when you don't want to be available.

How did the client get hold of you on a Saturday morning?

My work/personal laptop are the same and I have teams on my phone/laptop. Rookie mistake on my part

[psychocandy]

Now heres my take on this - does the client know it only took 10 mins?
Charging a whole day? Hmmm? As NLUK says if you've used half days in the past then you might be on rocky ground here.

If it was only 10 mins and one-off - do for free? Depends on the client. Just beware this could be opening up a whole new p*take of expecting it for free.

As others have said though, just don't be available. If they call on a Sat ignore it then text them back an hour later and say, sorry I'm out with the kids or something.

[northernladuk]

OTOH....

Day rate is chaegeable if you do any effective work in a 24 hour period. Getting full rate for a small bit of work plus kudos gained, is adequate recompense and good customer relations.

We shouldn't be paid for time worked only for delivering stuff. When we do it is irrelevant; that's between you and YourCo

Agreed but if you've ever charged them half days for holidays or anything be prepared for them to expect half day charge so you need to push back. Some clients/agents will accept half day billing which works both ways. If you've used it for a morning off so you don't lose a whole days billing then you can imagine they are going to want to utilise the same concept from their side. You did less than a half a day so bill in half day limits.

Not saying they will or it's wrong or right, just asking if it's a concept on your gig and if so they may expect that like you might have if you've used it before that's all. Just be prepared.

P.S. It's not overtime either. It's billable work. Use the right terminology and the comparisons vs perm other aspects of it might fall in to place better.

[malvolio]

OTOH....

Day rate is chaegeable if you do any effective work in a 24 hour period. Getting full rate for a small bit of work plus kudos gained, is adequate recompense and good customer relations.

We shouldn't be paid for time worked only for delivering stuff. When we do it is irrelevant; that's between you and YourCo

[jamesbrown]

If the contract is silent, you cannot negotiate it after the fact, so it will be standard terms. For future reference, you could’ve negotiated it live - an e-mail can form a contract or contract variation, assuming the other party has the authority.

[northernladuk]

2. Normally as perm I'd get double time, so can I charge them whatever the hell I want given I've made clear to them early on?

No because you are not a perm. You can't compare the two willy nilly when you fancy it. You are contracted for a day rate. If you haven't got provision in your contract for weekend work then IMO you have to assume the day rate for this one. What you need to do is negotiate with them what any overtime rates are to avoid confusion in the future.

What is your contract status? Outside or inside? Being asked to do overtime is pretty clear D&C so puts your outside status at risk if it is outside.

[ladymuck]

To avoid in the future, don't be contactable when you don't want to be available.

How did the client get hold of you on a Saturday morning?

[SussexSeagull]

If it was a genuine emergency then probably fair enough so long as you could have turned it down if you had something on. Not something you would want to make a habit of though.

Did you negotiate a price upfront? If not then daily rate.

[mgrover]

Long story short, got asked on Saturday morning to do some OT. I wasn't too pleased, but the work only took ten minutes so am charging them the day rate.

Two questions:

1. How can I avoid this in the future?
2. Normally as perm I'd get double time, so can I charge them whatever the hell I want given I've made clear to them early on?

Cheers
MG

edit: Contract says nothing about it