How to terminate contract early?

[Angela Macready]

What are the practical consequences of breach of contract?[/QUOTE]

Cost and reputation.

If you walk out of the contract, the company could seek damages against you which are likely to be the costs of getting in cover for the additional three weeks. Whether or not they would actually go to Court or not would depend upon what is on the line financially I would think.

I would agree with most of the other posts though, better to talk to the Client and try to agree to a compromise. That way there is a lot less ill feeling. I would try to avoid the terms and conditions war though -after all, your Client may know your next potential Client....

Good luck

[Boo]

Be professional. Honour your contractual obligation.

Be businesslike : compare the costs of honouring your contractual obligations with those incurred if you don't honour it.

Note that there is no moral onus on you whatsoever, this is strictly a business proposition. If you have doubts about this then quickly scan your contract for get outs which apply only to the agency/client. You will find they can drop you without any notice under such a wide range of conditions as to make your "notice period" (if any) utterly meaningless.

As to process, then the best way is to get your boss to sign timesheets which have the hours for the balance of your contract period set to zero. The field this to the agent when due in the usual way.

If you cannot reach an agreement informally with your immediate boss then you will need to write to the agent quoting one of the many trumped up clauses which permit the agent to terminate with immediate effect. Although these terms do not apply to YourCo, the agent will be loath to state they have no validity so will be pretty unlikely to go to court over it. You may lose any outstanding invoices however, so refer to my points about the business costs above.

Note : IANAL.

Boo

[nomadd]

I'm in a contract under my Ltd co. I want to while away on leave with 1 week notice instead of the 1 month required.

What's the best option?

Claim sickness/unable to work?
Request acceptance of this 1 week?

What are the practical consequences of breach of contract?

Why do you want to leave?

I've walked away on two contracts in the past as the work just wasn't what it was sold to be. Mind you, on both occasions that happened within the first week. I did phone the agencies involved and explained the situation to them, and there was no further issue.

If you are just looking to walk as you've found something 'better', than that's a different issue. The agency is unlikely to be sympathetic. Best you can do, I think, is raise the issue with the client. If they are prepared to let you go early, then there's not really much the agency can do about it. But, once again, if you feel they aren't likely to be happy with this, then you've got your work cut out. But, for heavens sake, don't do the "Claim sickness/unable to work?" thing, that's bound to look as daft as it reads. Be honest, and open, and see how it goes. At the end of the day, if the 'other' offer is spectacular, then you might have to accept a financial hit from the current client/agency if you do decide to go come what may.

[malvolio]

WHS.

What does your contract say about notice on your side?
Why do you think it a good idea to walk out of an unfinished contract?
Have you thought of a substitute who might like the work?
Why do you think contractual clauses don't apply when you're bored of them?

There is no good way to do this. Start by talking to the client. Be prepared to be out of the door on one hour's notice with a few unsigned timesheets to complain about. That's what happened to the last guy that did it to me...

HTH

[Mr.Whippy]

[kkawaii]

I'm in a contract under my Ltd co. I want to while away on leave with 1 week notice instead of the 1 month required.

What's the best option?

Claim sickness/unable to work?
Request acceptance of this 1 week?

What are the practical consequences of breach of contract?