Reply to: Maximum hours per week?

[WTFH]

Closing thread, the OP has got their answer and this is just turning into handbags

[TheGreenBastard]

Some of us don't need to count the hours and worry about whether we're going to get binned for defrauding a client or how much time we spend tulip posting on CUK because we have deliverables-based contracts, not T&M. That GB needs to hide in a toilet should tell you all you need to know about whether their business is legitimate. If you want to work multiple contracts simultaneously, get an in-demand skillset or split your time between clients as the OP was proposing, don't defraud your clients to circumvent a weak skillset.

Excellent example of crab mentality here folk, doesn't know the first thing about the terms of my contract(s), so enviously and spitefully projects with personal attacks. Beautiful stuff. This is an example of one of these below average contractors you can use to arbitrage multiple concurrent contracts.

[jamesbrown]

Some of us don't need to count the hours and worry about whether we're going to get binned for defrauding a client or how much time we spend tulip posting on CUK because we have deliverables-based contracts, not T&M. That GB needs to hide in a toilet should tell you all you need to know about whether their business is legitimate. If you want to work multiple contracts simultaneously, get an in-demand skillset or split your time between clients as the OP was proposing, don't defraud your clients to circumvent a weak skillset.

[fabios]

I'll bite, how was this done? from the above it seems you've worked 13h per day each day of the year, which I'm fairly sure is impossible from a physical point of view. Was it simply deliverables agreed to be done in a certain time and then done in half the time but billed in full?

It's not uncommon that people bill full day but don't work 8hrs or not 100% efficiently. Quite often also client doesn't provide enough work/information to make a proper use of 8hrs day.

[TheGreenBastard]

I'll bite, how was this done? from the above it seems you've worked 13h per day each day of the year, which I'm fairly sure is impossible from a physical point of view. Was it simply deliverables agreed to be done in a certain time and then done in half the time but billed in full?

Be sufficiently proficient to deliver in line with client expectations; 90% of the time I still limit the working day to 8 hours max, inclusive of going out to the gym and tulip posting on here. The fact you're equating output directly with time implies to me you're either not efficient enough or your discipline doesn't allow it.

I'm a software engineer, my peers are generally below average (I'd say I'm of average ability, this isn't fake humility). Think about it this way, if you're average, 50% of people are less skilled or have some basic fault such as time management. Good time management alone would allow such arbitrage resulting in fulfilling 2+ client requirements, throw in above average technical ability...

There's an entire subculture of "overemployment" for perms (especially in the US), it's only permietractors of this forum with their crab mentality that apply morality (fraud claims, with no idea of your contractual terms etc.). I actually find it quite sad in a way, after decades of workers being whipped by their slave owners, ever decreasing pay (due to inflationary pressure), let go at the drop of a hat, and here we have "small business contractors" (sic) giving clients all the power.

As a thought experiment, think of all the time spent producing output that you REALLY do, for the majority of us it's likely NOT a full contractual day (look at all the contractors that live on this forum). This thought experiment will expose why it's crab mentality - shooting the tulip for 2 hours, having extended lunches is OK (perhaps you can even smugly brag about getting paid for taking a crap?), but operating a profit yielding business by running multiple contracts is a crime against humanity.

In terms of work, the demands can simply be delivered in parallel, 3x full day's billing, and a day's output is produced (in line with peers [arbitrage on the back of mediocrity]).

[dsc]

As an opposing view to the above, I billed 600 days last year, similar the year previous, I probably don't need to explain how useful this capital is for early retirement or BTL properties. It's in fact the opposite of "a terrible idea" and very much aligns with "running a business", something the permietractors of this forum can't reconcile.

I strongly advise you give it a go if you can.

I'll bite, how was this done? from the above it seems you've worked 13h per day each day of the year, which I'm fairly sure is impossible from a physical point of view. Was it simply deliverables agreed to be done in a certain time and then done in half the time but billed in full?

[SussexSeagull]

We go through this song and dance every time someone suggests working for more than one client concurrently when the actual answer is 'it depends'. If you are being paid by delivery then knock yourself out so long as you can do the work. If you have signed a contract stating you need to be available 0900-1700 then sign another asking the same then you very well might get away with it but I don't imagine either client would be pleased if they knew about the other.

[TheGreenBastard]

When defrauding clients is your only route to earning a modest income, you should perhaps reflect on your education and how you ended up with such an expendable skillset

But this isn't really helping the OP.

Strange unhinged logic. Permietractor hurting on his slave owner's behalf, very very strange.

[northernladuk]

Not a locum pharmacist; pharmaceutical contracting (desk-based, occasional calls, mostly remote work). It sounds as if the days aren't stipulated in the contract, and I deliver the work and am available when they need me - presumably I can take on as much work as I feel I am able to. Thank you all for the lively discussion!

I still don't know what that is but still doesn't sound right to me but could be the way you've phrased it. The available when they need you is the key bit but only you know what you do and what your contract says so up to you to sort out now.

[jamesbrown]

Not a locum pharmacist; pharmaceutical contracting (desk-based, occasional calls, mostly remote work). It sounds as if the days aren't stipulated in the contract, and I deliver the work and am available when they need me - presumably I can take on as much work as I feel I am able to. Thank you all for the lively discussion!

Yup. Just be open with your clients, negotiate contractual terms that allow you to fill yer boots and, er, fill yer boots

[jamesbrown]

"Defrauding"

Never not left a gig on my own terms, never had a unhappy client. Many in my circle do the same, not a single horror story except periods of hard graft.

If you've ever done an outside gig you've been defrauding the tax man due to your disguised employment.

When defrauding clients is your only route to earning a modest income, you should perhaps reflect on your education and how you ended up with such an expendable skillset

But this isn't really helping the OP.

[LittleMermaid]

Not a locum pharmacist; pharmaceutical contracting (desk-based, occasional calls, mostly remote work). It sounds as if the days aren't stipulated in the contract, and I deliver the work and am available when they need me - presumably I can take on as much work as I feel I am able to. Thank you all for the lively discussion!

[northernladuk]

"Defrauding"

Never not left a gig on my own terms, never had a unhappy client. Many in my circle do the same, not a single horror story except periods of hard graft.

If you've ever done an outside gig you've been defrauding the tax man due to your disguised employment.

Lets not get in to this again.

You are quite correct, if the client doesn't stipulate times and is on a delivery basis then you are absolutely spot on, you can have as many clients as you want.

If the client has times/days on the contract and has an expectation you'll be 100% available for that time then working on another clients time is against the terms of the contract and expectation of client so will lead to trouble. The only this works if you lying to your clients. Can work, not a good idea. Down to your own principles whether to do it or not as the contractual situation is quite clear.

There is some leeway if you can discuss and arrange with the client yes, but that is not going to happen for a vast number of clients.

So again, yes it's possible, not often and definitely not in every case so why not balance your argument and mention the key factors which will influence the decision as to whether double accounting your client would work. Just a blanket, I do it so everyone should really ruins your argument, which in some cases might actually be correct. You can be right in what you say but your delivery is just awful. Temper it and you'd have a good point we couldn't argue about. Surely that is better no?

EDIT : Oh, and you are arguing on a thread where you've just been proven wholly and totally wrong. A locum pharmasist cannot double bill. SO maybe pick a better thread to argue on?

[eek]

"Defrauding"

Never not left a gig on my own terms, never had a unhappy client. Many in my circle do the same, not a single horror story except periods of hard graft.

If you've ever done an outside gig you've been defrauding the tax man due to your disguised employment.

If you are selling anything on working days the end client is going to be expecting you to do x hours work for them in that working day.

[TheGreenBastard]

Indeed, defrauding clients is a terrible idea and had nothing to do with running a legitimate business.

"Defrauding"

Never not left a gig on my own terms, never had a unhappy client. Many in my circle do the same, not a single horror story except periods of hard graft.

If you've ever done an outside gig you've been defrauding the tax man due to your disguised employment.