Reply to: ClientCo cancel external email from today

[Wanderer]

Well, not quite....this morning, ClientCo has emailed all contractors telling them we're going to become, "employed consultants" and we'll be invited to an agency meeting to discuss how the model works. Doesn't sound too promising - I'd better dust off the old CV

Dust it off? I'd be taking a copy with me to discuss what opportunities are out there.

[d000hg]

Well, not quite....this morning, ClientCo has emailed all contractors telling them we're going to become, "employed consultants" and we'll be invited to an agency meeting to discuss how the model works.

Doesn't sound too promising - I'd better dust off the old CV

Email them back saying "no, I won't" and contact your agent to complain. Refuse to sign things, miss meetings and as you say, update your CV

[manclarky]

Let me guess ... followed by a 2nd email saying all web access by contractors is being logged too.

Well, not quite....this morning, ClientCo has emailed all contractors telling them we're going to become, "employed consultants" and we'll be invited to an agency meeting to discuss how the model works.

Doesn't sound too promising - I'd better dust off the old CV

[Grinder]

Your ClientCo:




<---- that one's you




HTH

I don't really care about this issue (I just adapt to whatever situation is presented), but that, RC, is the funniest thing I've seen today

[Aman]

Collect your fee at the end of each week or month.
If Clientco's contracts with their clients go pear-shaped because of the lack of e-mail communication between contractors and their clients then it's their problem.
I had to expedite and update drawings and documents from vendors on my last contract because my client wouldn't bother his arse. With no e-mail I did all this from home after my 12-18 hour day. No thanks for it of course, still haven't been paid for 5 days work.
Won't be doing that again.

[Wanderer]

It does seem a bit petty to block external email, but it's one of those stupid things that clients love to do to contractors so you have to sit back, think of the money and deal with it.

I try not to use the clients email for personal emails, not sure who is reading them. The thing that annoys me is most client block webmail (gmail etc), so I have to use my phone which is not as user friendly.

Completely agree. I don't use work computers for personal stuff, keep them separate. Get a decent smartphone and you can do most of what you want to on that anyway. Failing that, get your own laptop and 3G dongle. Sorted.

[d000hg]

Don't use clientco's dirty little email system! It's against your company policy to use a mailbox that is not under your total control. How can you be sure of security?

By all means, let them set a mailbox up for you, set up autoforwarding, and then only ever reply from your contractorguru@itconsulting.com address!

Or in the real world, stop playing these petty games to try and assert you independence. Client is quite at liberty to do what they want on their network, and to insist work is carried out through their systems... emails you type while they are paying are 'owned' by them, etc.
It might be equally petty from their side, but they don't want to have to deal with each contractor/employee separately, they want a single policy.

Just take the money and shut up.

[MarillionFan]

Seems a bit of a horse bolted if you ask me.

Smart phone usage is rocketing. I believe by 2015 more people will access the internet using smart devices than computers.

[manclarky]

set up autoforwarding, and then only ever reply from your contractorguru@itconsulting.com address!

I can see the 'logic' there - no different to the ClientCo's email policy. However, seeing as from tonight, I can't 'autoforward' to an external email address (my company) then the point is moot - they're paying the piper, therefore, calling the proverbial tune.

[Scrag Meister]

What was the official reason given for canceling your external email access? Security?

In which case, as it is a bank, that is understandable.

At one of my previous gigs, permie new starters were automatically given access to external email/internet access whereas contractors/temps had to be authorised by their 'line manager'.

Confidential bank info emailed home

[beercohol]

Don't use clientco's dirty little email system! It's against your company policy to use a mailbox that is not under your total control. How can you be sure of security?

By all means, let them set a mailbox up for you, set up autoforwarding, and then only ever reply from your contractorguru@itconsulting.com address!

[manclarky]

It's prevent you from accessing your own web based e-mail service (e.g. hotmail, gmail).

Yes, we can't access web-based emails, except on dedicated PC's outside the network

They usually don't mind you putting personal email through their system.

They do here...!

[Hex]

It's very common for banks to prevent you from accessing your own web based e-mail service (e.g. hotmail, gmail). It's an attempt at a security measure. They want you to put any email through their system so it is logged. I've worked at 2 banks and they both did this. They also stopped access to bulletin boards such as this one!

They usually don't mind you putting personal email through their system.

[Clippy]

What was the official reason given for canceling your external email access? Security?

In which case, as it is a bank, that is understandable.

At one of my previous gigs, permie new starters were automatically given access to external email/internet access whereas contractors/temps had to be authorised by their 'line manager'.

[Scrag Meister]

Just to add to the confusion, I've merged your threads.

So now when data is being stolen, it has to be copied to a usb stick?

My ClientCo has stopped USB stick use too.