Notice Period over contract end / extension

[Gregoa3]

I am currently in contract until 17th April, and have been offered a two-month extension which I have verbally accepted, but just waiting for the contract to come through to sign.

My contract stipulates a 4-week notice period on both sides.

My concern is that we have just been told the project is going to have to be moth-balled due to commercial constraints (company are in airport/airline business).

Could they just tell me over the next week that my extension is revoked and make me leave on 17th, or assuming I get the extended contract through and sign it, am I still entitled to get 4-weeks notice?

Don’t want to ask the agent at this point, and give them an excuse to not send the extension through!

[WTFH]

Moved to the contracts section.

Bad news is that a notice period is only valid if there is a signed contract in place.
If they have moth-balled the work, then I suspect you won't get offered a written contract extension.

Even if they did send it through, most clients pay based on signed timesheets, so IF they offered you a contract and IF you signed it, they could serve you notice, and then tell you there's no work to be done.

[Gregoa3]

Moved to the contracts section.

Bad news is that a notice period is only valid if there is a signed contract in place.
If they have moth-balled the work, then I suspect you won't get offered a written contract extension.

Even if they did send it through, most clients pay based on signed timesheets, so IF they offered you a contract and IF you signed it, they could serve you notice, and then tell you there's no work to be done.

Thanks. As I suspected. Seems like for a lot of contractors, 2020 might be the year we look to going back to Permie!

[northernladuk]

Thanks. As I suspected. Seems like for a lot of contractors, 2020 might be the year we look to going back to Permie!

WTFH has covered it but notice but just to expand, it's pretty irrelevant for us. In our contracts we tend to have a clause that says no pay without a signed timesheet. You only get one of those if you do any work. We do not generally get paid notice period for not doing anything. In theory, and it does happen, a client can ask you not to come in the day after as there is no work and you won't get paid. They could invoke and 4 week notice period of which you don't work a single day. The contract has been adhered to but you don't get a penny so akin to instant termination.

Don't be fooled in to thinking your notice means anything.

[LondonManc]

I am currently in contract until 17th April, and have been offered a two-month extension which I have verbally accepted, but just waiting for the contract to come through to sign.

My contract stipulates a 4-week notice period on both sides.

My concern is that we have just been told the project is going to have to be moth-balled due to commercial constraints (company are in airport/airline business).

Could they just tell me over the next week that my extension is revoked and make me leave on 17th, or assuming I get the extended contract through and sign it, am I still entitled to get 4-weeks notice?

Don’t want to ask the agent at this point, and give them an excuse to not send the extension through!

If you have a clause in your contract that mentions signed/approved timesheets being required before you can be paid then your notice period is irrelevant. They can revoke your pass and tell you that the budget has been pulled, don't bother coming in. Reality is that you'll probably get finished on the 17th but the remote danger is that you could get pulled before that. I'd certainly consider myself "on the market" in your situation.

[Paralytic]

Thanks. As I suspected. Seems like for a lot of contractors, if they are lucky, 2020 might be the year we look to going back to Permie!

FTFY.

There is a *very* limited permie market at present.

[hairymouse]

FTFY.

There is a *very* limited permie market at present.

Even more limited for contracters trying to go permie.

[LondonManc]

Even more limited for contracters trying to go permie.

Two years ago, the toughest part of my job interview was convincing them that I definitely wanted to stay permie.

[northernladuk]

Two years ago, the toughest part of my job interview was convincing them that I definitely wanted to stay permie.

Which needed your best poker face and fingers crossed I expect

[Andy Hallett]

In answer to the OP they could just revoke the contract. It's then down to the client whether they honour 4 weeks. I've seen it happen both ways.

If it does happen, stay cool, professional and just assert that you had committed to the period and turned away other work and would be grateful if they could honour the (verbal) agreement.