Reply to: Bad News..Good News..Bad News

[bren586]

I figured for the first couple of days I'd stay just over the border in France. Then once I get my bearings I'd look for a place a little more permanant. As the projects is only 3 months I'd imagine renting would not be an option. Staying in Geneva itself looks like it's a non starter. There is no point working away from home and giving it all to some guy running a hotel.

Hotel Restaurant Le Sofia just over the border in Saint Genis Pouilly. Rent a cheap car or take the Y bus (not very regular or fast). Decent restaurant. Place is old but not bad. Couple of bars in the village and a couple of shops. I stayed several times when visiting CERN.

[BoredBloke]

I figured for the first couple of days I'd stay just over the border in France. Then once I get my bearings I'd look for a place a little more permanant. As the projects is only 3 months I'd imagine renting would not be an option. Staying in Geneva itself looks like it's a non starter. There is no point working away from home and giving it all to some guy running a hotel.

[darmstadt]

Nestle by any chance?

Ooh, one of my customers, just renewed the support contract with them for another year. I remeber building their system some years back and it was the first time I had come across a Swiss keyboard which confused the hell out of me and the American guy working with me. Also confused the hell out of the Swiss as even they couldn't work out how whjich keys needed to be pressed to get square brackets. For that gig I stayed in the Sheraton and got serenaded by the lady piano player when a young women sat not too far from (she was not too impressed and buggered off shortly.)

[Fred Bloggs]

He is paid about $800 a month and has none of the skills needed to do the job he has taken over. As far as I'm concerned I have shown him what he needs to do. The fact is a number of his tasks fall outside this script and he hasn't got a chance of meeting the requirements. But that isn't my problem. If they need me then I'll happily quote to fix any issues this guy produces, but they won't.

Well done, it sounds like fixing the "plenty quick, much cheapness" code could be the next gig after Swizzy!

[BlueElise]

Staying in Geneva

When I was there some 10 years ago you had to be careful about commuting across the border each day from France - you are not supposed to, and the Swiss do take their rules seriously (just try walking across the lights before the green man shows!). My friend lodged with someone else in a flat, I had my own place but it was a nightmare to get and the rule is they assume you are staying on for each 6 month rental period unless you give 6 months notice. (we just ran away).

You MUST make sure you have a work permit for the canton (county) of Geneva, not for the canton in which the agency is based. My agency said the 10 contractors were living in their office somewhere else in the country. If you get this wrong you will get a nice letter from the police inviting you visit them at the police station (the reason why we ran away). Of course you can believe the agency when they say they have sorted out the paperwork if you want - but then you can also believe that they 'just need two references' :-)

If you think of each Swiss Franc as being 10p you will stay sane on the prices.

Other than that it was the best gig I ever had, and the fountain in Geneva is wonderful.

[Mustang]

I got the gig - no time spent on the bench and the best rate I've had ever. So now it's off to Geneva. I've looked at the hotels in Geneva and it looks bleeding expensive to stay there, so I think I'm going to book into that hotel Cyberman suggested.

Now I get to relax until my new one starts on April Fools Day!!!

Well done - great news! Even better is the break prior to starting!!

[Cyberman]

I got the gig - no time spent on the bench and the best rate I've had ever. So now it's off to Geneva. I've looked at the hotels in Geneva and it looks bleeding expensive to stay there, so I think I'm going to book into that hotel Cyberman suggested.

Now I get to relax until my new one starts on April Fools Day!!!

Well done Tony !!

[BoredBloke]

No need to be hasty, I'm sure you could have offered call-centre support to him for your usual hourly rate (which is maybe double his).

He is paid about $800 a month and has none of the skills needed to do the job he has taken over. As far as I'm concerned I have shown him what he needs to do. The fact is a number of his tasks fall outside this script and he hasn't got a chance of meeting the requirements. But that isn't my problem. If they need me then I'll happily quote to fix any issues this guy produces, but they won't.

[SizeZero]

Cheers - I had a call from the Indian guy they replaced me with yesterday asking for help on my old job. So at that point I was out of work and this clown calls me from India to help him to do my old job. It was a short conversation.

No need to be hasty, I'm sure you could have offered call-centre support to him for your usual hourly rate (which is maybe double his).

Although this way, the client might offer you double to go repair the damage this knownowt does.


Pay peanuts, get monkeys. They never ever learn

[BoredBloke]

Cheers - I had a call from the Indian guy they replaced me with yesterday asking for help on my old job. So at that point I was out of work and this clown calls me from India to help him to do my old job. It was a short conversation.

[ThomasSoerensen]

Congratulations.

[BoredBloke]

I got the gig - no time spent on the bench and the best rate I've had ever. So now it's off to Geneva. I've looked at the hotels in Geneva and it looks bleeding expensive to stay there, so I think I'm going to book into that hotel Cyberman suggested.

Now I get to relax until my new one starts on April Fools Day!!!

[Turion]

You'll never become tax resident in France if you just stay in a cheapy hotel and commute to Switzerland. If you register yourself there then of course that is a different thing altogether, but that would be a pretty stupid thing to do.

WHS+ pour contract jusque 8 semain, ce n'est pas possible!

[Cyberman]

Yes cheap guest houses in France.

Just one point if you stay in France you may become tax resident. But your Swiss income will not be taxed in France, though you may have to fill out a French tax form. You are taxed where you work not where you live.

I knew plenty of French commuting to Luxembourg, so I'm reliabily informed on this point.

I'm dual resident in Germany and Switzerland. My Swiss income is not taxed in Germany, but I'm obliged to declare it.

Bon Chance

You'll never become tax resident in France if you just stay in a cheapy hotel and commute to Switzerland. If you register yourself there then of course that is a different thing altogether, but that would be a pretty stupid thing to do.

[BlasterBates]

Yes cheap guest houses in France.

Just one point if you stay in France you may become tax resident. But your Swiss income will not be taxed in France, though you may have to fill out a French tax form. You are taxed where you work not where you live.

I knew plenty of French commuting to Luxembourg, so I'm reliabily informed on this point.

I'm dual resident in Germany and Switzerland. My Swiss income is not taxed in Germany, but I'm obliged to declare it.

Bon Chance