Reply to: Long contract hours... is that fair?

[Moff]

What is wrong with that ?

I wouldn't say that is unreasonable as a contractor to work those hours especially leading up to a deployment as a PM or TDM.

[eek]

All you need to ask yourself is "Is the rate 20% higher then the rates for contracts that work 8 hours a day?"

If it is and you can hack it then take the contract, if its not or you can't handle a long work day then don't.

Mooshld.

Surely that should be 25% higher than an 8 hour day. Compared to a 10 hour day an 8 hour day should pay 20% less.

[craig1]

One reason certain clients prefer contractors over permies is that professional contractors rarely whine about the hours they put in. Last contract I did, I knew that coming up to go-live, I expected to have to put in a few 16 hour days, I gave the client an option:

- either I bill you on a pro-rata basis, i.e. 16 hours in one day = 2 billable days; or
- I work a few short or non-existent days on full pay.

They chose the latter so I worked four weeks of four days and one week of three days while still billing the full five days. They were happy because they got a seamless go-live, I was happy because I got paid for the work I did.

I'm hired help, I don't expect to get too much sympathy about having to put in long hours but I do expect to get paid for them.

[PinkPoshRat]

Dont ******* accept the contract then! You know what the client now expects, if you dont like it turn it down. Dont go squealing like a permie that the hours are long. Kinell.

yeah!

[SimonMac]

Just as a gauge, I worked 57 hours last week - For FAR less money than you lot earn - and I'm an employee.

Suck it up, be grateful that you earn double what most permanent employees do, and stop your moaning - you run your own business now, and if long hours are what your business needs, long hours is what your business should get.

You want sympathy? Look in the dictionary between sh** and syphilis

[BolshieBastard]

Hi all,

Been in the interview and was told that the expected business day would be 8am - 6pm. which is very long compared to anywhere I worked before (even the I-banks don't have that long hours as a standard hour)

I haven't got the paper contract yet, but if they didn't mention it in the contract (which makes it IR35 compatible) what ground do you think I could use to negotiate for a better hours?

Regards,
Kevin

Dont ******* accept the contract then! You know what the client now expects, if you dont like it turn it down. Dont go squealing like a permie that the hours are long. Kinell.

[northernladuk]

Hi all,

Been in the interview and was told that the expected business day would be 8am - 6pm. which is very long compared to anywhere I worked before (even the I-banks don't have that long hours as a standard hour)

What has where you worked for before got to do with it? You are a contractor, the last place is history, start again, new challenges, new conditions. You sound more like a permie. Did you ask him if the coffee is free like it was that last place and ditch the contract if he says no.

I haven't got the paper contract yet, but if they didn't mention it in the contract (which makes it IR35 compatible)

There is no such thing as IR35 comptible and this one element does not make any difference. It is one small flag of many (and a very minor one at that)

what ground do you think I could use to negotiate for a better hours?

Do you want it or not. If you don't negotiate what you want, if you are ok with it sign.

The whole point of being a contractor is you can go for terms that you are happy with. Granted they can't all be the terms we want but you have a choice. Negotiate, accept or refuse. We can't help you with that.

You could of course take a permie job and you wouldn't have to deal with all these difficult situations.

[Mr.Whippy]

All you need to ask yourself is "Is the rate 25% higher then the rates for contracts that work 8 hours a day?"

If it is and you can hack it then take the contract, if its not or you can't handle a long work day then don't.

Mooshld.

FTFY.

[Spacecadet]

Are you sure they didn't just mean that core business hours are 8 - 6, and that you can work your 35 or 40 hours between 8 - 6 each day over the week?

That would make more sense!

[mooshld]

Hi all,

Been in the interview and was told that the expected business day would be 8am - 6pm. which is very long compared to anywhere I worked before (even the I-banks don't have that long hours as a standard hour)

I haven't got the paper contract yet, but if they didn't mention it in the contract (which makes it IR35 compatible) what ground do you think I could use to negotiate for a better hours?

Regards,
Kevin

All you need to ask yourself is "Is the rate 20% higher then the rates for contracts that work 8 hours a day?"

If it is and you can hack it then take the contract, if its not or you can't handle a long work day then don't.

Mooshld.

[Mr.Whippy]

Just as a gauge, I worked 57 hours last week - For FAR less money than you lot earn - and I'm an employee.

My heart bleeds. Perhaps if you did better at school then you could be earning FAR more money for less hours. Seriously though, I would think there are some people on here who aren't on excess of £500/day. Not everyone is rolling in it as you seem to think.

Suck it up, be grateful that you're in employment and not on the dole.

[The Agents View]

Just as a gauge, I worked 57 hours last week - For FAR less money than you lot earn - and I'm an employee.

Suck it up, be grateful that you earn double what most permanent employees do, and stop your moaning - you run your own business now, and if long hours are what your business needs, long hours is what your business should get.

[JamJarST]

Is it in the East End? I worked for a place out there that said the stndard day is 10 hours, the turnover of people both contract and perm was staggering. It had been taken ocver by septics and they just take the p!$$.

[ChimpMaster]

5 days a week. I think it is illegal to make standard hours more than 40 hours a week?

Are you sure they didn't just mean that core business hours are 8 - 6, and that you can work your 35 or 40 hours between 8 - 6 each day over the week?

[SueEllen]

5 days a week. I think it is illegal to make standard hours more than 40 hours a week?

No it's not illegal.

You are not a employee either of the client or the agency where you have to sign out of the working time directive.