Signed a contract with a start date but no work for 2 weeks

[evoke]

Hey Guys,
First time posting but long time reading.


TL;DR I signed a contract to start on a particular date with an agency. The company i will be working for said it would take 2 weeks to do background checks. The contract has started but I have no way of starting work. I am in limbo. Also i have to give a months notice to get out of the contract.

Proper story:
Situation: I go a new contract through an agency with a big company. I had an interview with the company and they said they would like me to start work. They said though that it would take 2 weeks to do a security check on me. I said that was fine. I thought it 2 weeks from the day i signed the contract with the agency. The start date was 2 weeks from my interview day which was the 31st of May. Signed the contract to start on the 31st of May and sent it back to the agency. Did not hear back from any one until 1.5 weeks later. I got an email from the security check company to give them all this information. I was thinking this is quiet late. This was a Thursday I was starting on the Tuesday. Filled in everything and sent it back the security. I called the agency and they did not know what was happening. They could not say when I would start but would check over the weekend.

On Tuesday when I was supposed to start no one was answering their phones. I went the company address and stayed around the area in case they said I would start that day. By chance I met the manager that interviewed me and he said I was not starting today. He said he only received my contact details on Thursday which is when he sent it out to the security firm to do a checkup.

That means the agency had my details for 1.5 weeks without sending them to the company. Now the contract has started I have no work for 2 weeks. I am really annoyed. The agency said it is with the company now and they can not speed up the process. I am out of pocket because of these people.

I started a contract with no work. Signed a contract that had a date that was not valid. Also the terms in the contract said I had to give one months notice to get out of it. I am in Limbo.

Has this ever happened to some one before where they signed a contract to start on a date but did not start working until after that date? I feel like cancelling the contract just to get back at the agency. I can get work other places.

thanks for any help.

[SueEllen]

1. Look for another role.

2. Send the agency an email tell them that you met the client manager today with the date, and ask them why it took x days for you to send the paperwork to the client when they know you can't start without it? The agent may phone you and say some rubbish so make sure you make a note of what they say plus time and date of call.

3. If you find another contract quickly and can start give notice on this contract citing breach of the contract terms which in this case is start date.

4. If the agency threaten to sue you point them to the email in 2. Then ignore them until they actually start court proceedings which is unlikely to happen.

[BrilloPad]

1. Look for another role.

2. Send the agency an email tell them that you met the client manager today with the date, and ask them why it took x days for you to send the paperwork to the client when they know you can't start without it? The agent may phone you and say some rubbish so make sure you make a note of what they say plus time and date of call.

3. If you find another contract quickly and can start give notice on this contract citing breach of the contract terms which in this case is start date.

4. If the agency threaten to sue you point them to the email in 2. Then ignore them until they actually start court proceedings which is unlikely to happen.

this.

Plus never stop looking until you are onsite invoicing.

[Old Greg]

Look for other work.

Don't worry about your notice period (although obviously IANAL). If they want notice, tell them you will be unavailable for work during the notice period and offer to send in a substitute. If that doesn't work, tell them you've been instructed by your psychiatrist not to wash for two months and you expect the client to accommodate you in line with the Equality Act - or something like that.

[psychocandy]

OP. Heres my take....

Agent knew there was a security check period but it also seems like theres no huge rush from the clients point of view (or they told the agency they need someone to start in a month). Agency has lied and got you to sign up knowing they can blame the security check on the delay. Remember once you're signed up hes got it 'in the bag' as far as hes concerned and he can blag any delay....

Of course, now you know, do what others have suggested. It probably will all come good here in the end but I think the agent did play you a bit with the start date.

As for the turning up "in the area" and hanging around. Bit weird. How'd you meet the manager exactly? Catch him walking into the office? All a bit stalkerish if you ask me.... Be careful of coming across as a nutter.

Bear in mind, agency will be telling them some complete crap and wont be admitting what they've done.

[NotAllThere]

....
Has this ever happened to some one before where they signed a contract to start on a date but did not start working until after that date? ...

Yep. Waited three months for security clearance. Not the agent, nor the client's fault - just the security office being very very slow. Fortunately, I wasn't in a hurry to start. Eventually, through personal contacts, I called the office of the top bod, spoke to his secretary - and a few days later my clearance came through. It was top £ so worth waiting for, and sheltered me through the post 2000 slump.

[VillageContractor]

1. Look for another role.

2. Send the agency an email tell them that you met the client manager today with the date, and ask them why it took x days for you to send the paperwork to the client when they know you can't start without it? The agent may phone you and say some rubbish so make sure you make a note of what they say plus time and date of call.

3. If you find another contract quickly and can start give notice on this contract citing breach of the contract terms which in this case is start date.

4. If the agency threaten to sue you point them to the email in 2. Then ignore them until they actually start court proceedings which is unlikely to happen.

Do this.

Also I question what you were doing for the first week and half when no one had contacted you about a security check.

You have to take some of the responsibility. Learn and move on

[missinggreenfields]

Yep. Waited three months for security clearance. Not the agent, nor the client's fault - just the security office being very very slow.

Had the same thing. Unfortunately, in the six weeks that it took for them to fail to transfer my clearnace between one department and another the consultancy lost hte work because they didn't have anyone on site to do it.

[evoke]

1. Look for another role.

2. Send the agency an email tell them that you met the client manager today with the date, and ask them why it took x days for you to send the paperwork to the client when they know you can't start without it? The agent may phone you and say some rubbish so make sure you make a note of what they say plus time and date of call.

3. If you find another contract quickly and can start give notice on this contract citing breach of the contract terms which in this case is start date.

4. If the agency threaten to sue you point them to the email in 2. Then ignore them until they actually start court proceedings which is unlikely to happen.

Thanks. That is good advice. I learnt a lesson here. In future I will be more knowledgeable on start dates. I am currently looking again. I was worried about the notice period which put me off looking.

[evoke]

Look for other work.

Don't worry about your notice period (although obviously IANAL). If they want notice, tell them you will be unavailable for work during the notice period and offer to send in a substitute. If that doesn't work, tell them you've been instructed by your psychiatrist not to wash for two months and you expect the client to accommodate you in line with the Equality Act - or something like that.

that is funny. Good way of putting them off.