HardAss client manager - and IR unfriendly too

[paulinefowlersgrowler]

Not that this guy is bad but hes seems to have very old fashioned views about work etc. i.e. You're in the office when we say you are and we're getting our moneys worth.

So no WFH at all. Sometimes the permies get away with it but not a chance in hell for contractors it seems.

Obviously, not great from an IR35 perspective either.

Saying that though, even though sometimes his outlook can change depending on his mood, he can be OK sometimes.

Never as bad as my last client though. Manager there had some really stupid ideas, had no clue, thought he knew it all, and thought he could criticise me about me attitude - even though the guy had worked in IT for about 5 years total).

But Im sure we all like gigs where we come and go as we please, get away with a bit of flexibility where we can. No chance in this one. Pity because its decent enough otherwise.

IR35 thing does worry me though if I stayed her too long. This manager is the sort who doesnt care about that.

Anyone got experience of similar?

[SueEllen]

Are you psychocandy?

Is there some reason you can't deal with your business relationships without telling the world?

You are aware that google reveals threads and people have been uncovered due to the information they provide?

[sal]

Not that this guy is bad but hes an old fella and seems to have very old fashioned views about work etc. i.e. You're in the office when we say you are and we're getting our moneys worth.

This is rather normal behavior

So no WFH at all. Sometimes the permies get away with it but not a chance in hell for contractors it seems. I brought it up as a one off and he just said no.

Obviously, not great from an IR35 perspective either.

How come? Obviously you are being treated differently and ClientCo not allowing WFH is a very minor IR35 point if not completely irrelevant.

Permies moan about him all the time so hes never going to change. Makes it not the easier gig I've ever done.

So nothing personal towards you or contractors in general, also pretty standard for people to moan about their manager.

Saying that though, even though sometimes his outlook can change depending on his mood, he can be OK sometimes. I worked 12 days straight inc couple of 12 hours at thje weekend then wanted a day off. He let me bill for this because of the long days (which were paid PWD) which he didnt have to.

This is more than you will get in most gigs and in my mind cancels all of the "cons" above.

Never as bad as my last client though. Manager there had some really stupid ideas, had no clue, thought he knew it all, and thought he could criticise me about me attitude - even though the guy had worked in IT for about 5 years total).

What has his tenure in IT has to do with his ability to judge other's attitude, as for having stupid ideas and thinking he knows it all - this is rather standard fro middle management.

IR35 thing does worry me though if I stayed her too long. This manager is the sort who doesnt care about that

The length of the contract is hardly relevant to your IR35 status and why would a ClientCo manager worry about the IR35 status and tax affairs of YourCo employee?

[eek]

If you don't like it you could suggest that you are thinking of canning the contract and see if that will make him change his mind (I'll save you the hassle he won't).

So your choice is to put up and shut up or go and find something else...

[tractor]

.....

Perhaps he has been burned before? You do realise that there are more bad contractors than there are bad managers?

If WFH is not in the contract, don't expect it. If you want what the permies have, go permy.

[paulinefowlersgrowler]

True enough about WFH.
But I bet a lot of you think I'll give it three months and then see if I can do Fri from home? Am I wrong? :-)

No Im not psychocandy whoever he/she/it is.

[northernladuk]

Welcome to life. It is full of weird and wonderful people and due to the nature of contracting you are going to meet more of them than others. Deal with it.

PS... not having flexibility against what is stated in the contract is not an IR35 issue... unless you are going to insist on pushing for the same setup as permies... which, well, would be pretty bloody stupid wouldn't it.

[Goatfell]

The length of the contract is hardly relevant to your IR35 status and why would a ClientCo manager worry about the IR35 status and tax affairs of YourCo employee?

This is probably the only part of the OP's drivel that has any value; it probably wouldn't be the length of the contract that could cause issues if it came to an investigation, but the managers attitude to HMRC's questions. I would imagine he (given the remote possibility that he actually exists) would them exactly the answers they wanted.

In fairness, if the OP is such a **** IRL as they come across on here, I'd have every sympathy with the manager.

[PerfectStorm]

If you did 2x 12 hour days and billed for 3 it sounds to me as if you just about broke even. 3x8 hour days = 24 hours after all.

[uk contractor]

When you have done 18 hour days for weeks on end & not got paid for the extra effort perhaps come here & complain its all part of being a contractor go back to being a permie see how those apples compare!