Reply to: Out of pocket for hotel due to clients uselessness

[psychocandy]

unless you've worked night shifts you don't realise how tired you can be, especially when the pattern changes weekly - nights, lates, earlies.

I use to do 22:00 to 06:00, after shift I drove my girlfriend to work, not far about 10 min drive, I was almost asleep at the wheel.

despite sleeping from 08:00 until 16:00 - you still feel like sh*t afterwards, almost like you've not slept

Ended up not having to do. Wasn't too upset about this.

[chineseJohn]

how is it any more dangerous to drive home after a night shift assuming the OP can get his required amount of sleep before the shift.

unless you've worked night shifts you don't realise how tired you can be, especially when the pattern changes weekly - nights, lates, earlies.

I use to do 22:00 to 06:00, after shift I drove my girlfriend to work, not far about 10 min drive, I was almost asleep at the wheel.

despite sleeping from 08:00 until 16:00 - you still feel like sh*t afterwards, almost like you've not slept

[psychocandy]

That is brutal! What type of company is this? big/small? industry? no excuse of course.

def better off out of there PC.

Yeh. Smallish. Obviously not going to name names but its strange.

To be honest, I would have quite happily gone home normal time Friday after 4 12hrs the previous. But stayed till 8pm as requested...

[jmo21]

Well, last week this week. Still client manages to wind up most of the contractors here.

12 hr shift rota for last week. All timesheets returned saying 12 hours were not required for friday so they're only paying normal day. Only problem is they didn't bother telling anyone in advance so everyone worked shifts as requested. One poor sod even came in at 8pm for night shift and got sent home saying they didn't need him now. Not the way to treat people.

That is brutal! What type of company is this? big/small? industry? no excuse of course.

def better off out of there PC.

[psychocandy]

Well, last week this week. Still client manages to wind up most of the contractors here.

12 hr shift rota for last week. All timesheets returned saying 12 hours were not required for friday so they're only paying normal day. Only problem is they didn't bother telling anyone in advance so everyone worked shifts as requested. One poor sod even came in at 8pm for night shift and got sent home saying they didn't need him now. Not the way to treat people.

I will be billing for the extended day (which I did do). Whether I pursue it depends (for basically 1/2 days pay).
Will obviously piss client off but its the principal. And not sure if I'd ever work for client in future anyway.

Anyone else had anything similar? Worth gaining evidence (like emails with shift rota) before I leave the place?

[oracleslave]

Well, luckily I've managed to get the guy renting the flat to me to change the dates a little. Lucky I guess.

You mean this whole sob story was for nothing in the end??

[psychocandy]

Why didn't you tell them you were making a non-refundable booking for a hotel?

Why did you book a non-refundable up front hotel in the first place?

To clarify, it was a flat not a hotel so I didn't really have the option to get a non-refundable rate. I was supposed to be working nights this week for a few days so flat was better than hotel to sleep in the day etc. Normally if its a normal night and I think I might be staying I ALWAYS book a cancellable travelodge (usually) to cater for things like this.

Thats just it I specifically asked last week about 10 mins before I made the booking and said OK, so no changes to rota for next week, I am still working nights yeh? I even had an informal chat about it being impossible to drive home, how I'd sorted a flat etc.

But come monday morning its all changed apparently....

[d000hg]

Why didn't you tell them you were making a non-refundable booking for a hotel?

Why did you book a non-refundable up front hotel in the first place?

[psychocandy]

Well, luckily I've managed to get the guy renting the flat to me to change the dates a little. Lucky I guess.

[psychocandy]

They think you are a permie and are treating you like one.

Bend over and brace yourself for the IR35 express!

Although you may well be able to show business loss now which is one of the business entity tests.

Yep. Deffo treated like a permie here without a shadow of doubt. Even, so far as being bullied into doing things like permies get....

Only two more weeks, breathe deeply and count the money...... :-)

[jmo21]

They think you are a permie and are treating you like one.

Bend over and brace yourself for the IR35 express!

Although you may well be able to show business loss now which is one of the business entity tests.

[Old Greg]

LOL. Maybe partly my uselessness :-)

Definitely my fault for taking someones word.

We are making progress. There are 3 approaches you could have taken.

1. Build it into the contract that the risk is with client.
2. Price it into the contract that the risk is with you.
3. Screw up and then blame yourself when it goes wrong.

Why have you gone for:

4. Screw up and then blame the client when it goes wrong and whine in CUK professional forum about it?

[psychocandy]

So, due to whose uselessness are you out of pocket?

LOL. Maybe partly my uselessness :-)

Definitely my fault for taking someones word.

[kevpuk]

I am often useless, and equally often find myself out of pocket

[Old Greg]

I agree. If I'd signed a contract saying I'd do shifts and they were subject to change without notice then it is my risk of course.

My BIG mistake was not getting it in the contract. Even though shifts were discussed at interview, they were never entered into the contract. So I couldn't factor in this risk/cost at the time - I just relied on the client to be fair.

Like I said, its all being done as a 'gentlemans agreement'. They offered x times if we'd do shifts, told us the shift rota would be done in advance etc. There was no mention of it changing at last minute and expecting us to do it.

Last time I take someone word thats for sure.... However, first to admit I've learned a valuable lesson here!

So, due to whose uselessness are you out of pocket?