Lost trust in my client

[oilyrag]

My client offered me a permy gig at a rate equal to a lucrative contract. They said the position was mine, just needed to do the HR song and dance. Interviewers also had the same info as all said it was nailed on. I agreed the package with HR bod, and continued to get glowing reports from my stakeholders on my gig. Then out the blue I am told I don't have the perm role due to my salary requirements and one persons reservation if I would accept the perf review process, this one person being my future line manager. Now they want to offer a 3 month extension till Xmas and another contract in 2016. Problem is I no longer trust them, I suspect I will be replaced by the permy. Has anyone asked for future contracts to be signed now with cancellation clause's and payouts? Or should I just take the contract till Xmas and use the time to search for a new gig?

[kevpuk]

So.....the permy gig - same as what you are currently doing, more or less

[oilyrag]

Currently PMing global rollout 1, the permy gig was for global rollout 2, they are now saying I will do global rollout 2 under contract but are also hiring the perm role as described above

[kevpuk]

Currently PMing global rollout 1, the permy gig was for global rollout 2, they are now saying I will do global rollout 2 under contract but are also hiring the perm role as described above

My worry would be around the very fact that you interviewed for the gig as a permie, and then are set up to work it as a contractor.....that is getting scarily into IR35 territory, n'est-ce pas? Of course, that is assuming this matters, as you may be brolly anyway, in which case just ignore me

[northernladuk]

I'd go with that what Kev says as well. Also offering me a salary at the level of the contract rate would have set my alarm bells ringing as well. I know contractors that have taken on perm gig's at clients on a good whack but not approaching the same as a contract rate.

I don't think trust really comes in to it. You should never base hopes on future gig promises. Carry out the contact on the table and see what happens once it's complete. Being replaced by a permie is part and parcel of the type of work we do. As long as they pay on time the rest is pretty much irrelevant. You've just gotta decide if you have an appetite for that risk... Oh and the IR35 warning signs as well.

[oilyrag]

I'm in Switzerland, so IR35 is not a headache. I suppose Northernlad has it though, there is risk in being benched at Xmas that I want to avoid (skiing holidays, nobody gets hired). Just wondered if anyone's mitigated it with early contracts with cancellation payouts?

[northernladuk]

Cancellation payouts? What do you mean by this? You bailing and buying your way out of the contract or them binning you and you expect notice pay?

[oilyrag]

Cancellation payouts? What do you mean by this? You bailing and buying your way out of the contract or them binning you and you expect notice pay?

I was thinking more along the lines of a cancellation fee, same as a Doctor or Dentist will charge if you miss a contractually agreed appointment for them to work.

[SussexSeagull]

I was thinking more along the lines of a cancellation fee, same as a Doctor or Dentist will charge if you miss a contractually agreed appointment for them to work.

Don't know about Switzerland but never heard of anything like it.

[northernladuk]

Over here generally you are just a temp resource /bum on seat. No way will they accept a payment for early termination. That's part and parcel of what we do. Could be different over there but I can't imagine it is. Contractors would cease to be a flexible resource if it cost too much to pay them off.