Reply to: The professional day

[ThomasSoerensen]

bill by the hour / that will teach them / and reward you

[Turion]

It's by the day and I'm doing a minimum of 11 hours and a max of 24 hours per day at the moment. The client I work for is a Greek software consultancy, the end client is an EU department in Spain. I'm actually contracted through an agency in Luxembourg but it's the end client making the demands with the Greek co making sure I am here to get the stuff done.

This sounds mental. What are you doing man?, and what has your effective hourly rate been devalued to? Unsocialable hours are worth 1.5x to 2x normal hours, so work it out? Would you have taken the gig if you knew the actual hourly rate you are getting. (Spanish rates are shiite anyway)

I often do daily rated (prof-days) and never have had, or seen the conditions you describe. In my case if an occassional long day is needed the extra hours are subtracted later in the week. If it is a constant demand, the extra hours are charged, (eg 4 hrs extra is another .5 day) and if they become unreasonable I advise client to hire another resource as I would never do late nights / on call or any other client inspired nonsence (unless written in contract) without significant extra payment.

Be strong, sort yourself and the client out. Probably too late now, as you've already given in to their demands. If you need to walk or get pushed, great as that gig ain't worth the stress.

[BlasterBates]

Yup that sounds like "really bad".

I would demand extra "period".

[eliquant]

This isn't a whinge but just wondering if anyone else out there ever gets asked (told) to work hours which are beyond what is reasonable.

Been in UATs for the last 4 weeks - have done 3 all nighters in the last week fixing issues and haven't been home once before 11 pm. Trouble is, the issues come in just as you're preparing to go home and you're told they have to be fixed up and put in a new release ready for the start of the next working day. When I mention a bit of time off in lieu I am reminded of the so called professional day and that there ain't a lot of work out there at the moment. Unfortunately they are right.

Wurzel just get the hell out of there, programmers/testers don't do that even in investment banks. Its ridiculous.

[FarmerPalmer]

This is why I went contracting in the first place - if anyone wants me to work unreasonable hours then they'll pay me by the hour

[TheVoice]

At the end of the day - a 'professional working day' is defined by the consultant.

If you aren't willing to stay on site beyond a certain time then thats that & the job gets done another time. So long as the deliverables are out of the door on time, the client can go feck themselves.

If they are the kind of client to kick a fuss, probably not the kind of people you want to work with

[chris79]

Yes, I know I should stand up to them but the trouble is I've already seen 2 colleagues get the heave-ho for taking a stance on this. I just can't afford to be out of work at the moment, and I think they probably know it. I'm off for Chrimbo from tomorrow (hopefully) and after that I plan on walking sometime around Feb / March when hopefully the market will have picked up a little bit. Ta for your comments anyhow.

You answered your own problem.

If you stand up you risk being pushed out, if you keep quiet then you keep your job.

It's your choice, and an easy one. Not great, but sadly it sounds like the people hiring you are a bunch of w***ers. Do your best to get out at the first opportunity.

[original PM]

surely one of your options is to employee a sub contractor to do the other bit of work??

[d000hg]

How about you tell them being professional works both ways? Do the people who make these demands work such long hours or do they give you the "URGENT" demands and then go home at 6pm to watch Eastenders in front of the fire?

[foritisme]

Not an ideal solution, but can't you mention the fact that a professional can only do so much quality work in a day and maybe negotiate coming in later in the morning if most of the work for you in coming in later in the day ?

[Cheshire Cat]

Yes, I know I should stand up to them but the trouble is I've already seen 2 colleagues get the heave-ho for taking a stance on this. I just can't afford to be out of work at the moment, and I think they probably know it. I'm off for Chrimbo from tomorrow (hopefully) and after that I plan on walking sometime around Feb / March when hopefully the market will have picked up a little bit. Ta for your comments anyhow.

I sympathise with your situation, I've been in psitions where I've felt that I had to work unbearably long hours, or in difficult working conditions because there was no alternative.
But what you described is not normal or acceptable. Even more so if you anticipate that it will persist for the next couple of months, as I infer from your post.
My advice, for what it's worth, is to make it your primary aim to find a new job/contract.

[wurzel]

Yes, I know I should stand up to them but the trouble is I've already seen 2 colleagues get the heave-ho for taking a stance on this. I just can't afford to be out of work at the moment, and I think they probably know it. I'm off for Chrimbo from tomorrow (hopefully) and after that I plan on walking sometime around Feb / March when hopefully the market will have picked up a little bit. Ta for your comments anyhow.

[Cheshire Cat]

Yes, have some balls man.
Stand up for yourself.

[pmeswani]

It's by the day and I'm doing a minimum of 11 hours and a max of 24 hours per day at the moment. The client I work for is a Greek software consultancy, the end client is an EU department in Spain. I'm actually contracted through an agency in Luxembourg but it's the end client making the demands with the Greek co making sure I am here to get the stuff done.

The Department in Spain can make all the demands they want, but if your client (The Greek Software Consultancy) is making unreasonable demands of your time and therefore impacting on your health and family life (if you have one), then you can either renegotiate the contract or walk away.

[wurzel]

How many hours are you putting in each day? Are you charging them by the day or the hour? Remind them of http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employme...ff/DG_10029426 (even though you may not be an employee, you are entitled to work no more than 48 hours in a week. However, some flexibility is needed from both ends).

If you feel that the client is abusing their position, walk away from the contract or renegotiate the T's & C's.

It's by the day and I'm doing a minimum of 11 hours and a max of 24 hours per day at the moment. The client I work for is a Greek software consultancy, the end client is an EU department in Spain. I'm actually contracted through an agency in Luxembourg but it's the end client making the demands with the Greek co making sure I am here to get the stuff done.