Do you bill the initial onboarding period?

[win10]

No introductions at all except to the reporting person. They did create my account on day 1 and request a laptop and email. I got the laptop - although a week after the start date. Good signs to bill them?

Sure.
I bill all time, even while shaiting in the office. There is no other way.

[PerfectStorm]

My intuition would be

1) if I was in an office everyday, bill regardless of how slow everything's going

2) you're at home, so probably not, but....

3) if agency says you can, and it is they who will be collecting the money from client after paying you - then go ahead

You have done the right thing in asking

[psychocandy]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I spoke to the agent just now. I can bill from the start date of the contract. Do not have the luxury to reject the payment, especially after being out of contract for the most part of the year.

Well yeh = agent would go nuts if you decided not to bill. They don't care they just want their cut.

[psychocandy]

OK its slightly different because I guess a lot of people are starting off gigs working from home these days.

In over 20 years I can count on one finger the number of clients who've got things ready to go from day one. It ranges from that to clients who forgot I was starting, taking weeks to get access sorted. It never ceases to amaze me how much money these people waste by not being organised.

If you're on site, it does my head in. Nothing worse than sitting there with nothing to do.

If I was at home, then brill. Top banana.

Would I bill? **** yeah. Of course, try to get things sorted but at the end of the say, if its out of you're control, then its their problem not yours that you're getting paid for nothing.

[psychocandy]

My intuition would be

1) if I was in an office everyday, bill regardless of how slow everything's going

2) you're at home, so probably not, but....

3) if agency says you can, and it is they who will be collecting the money from client after paying you - then go ahead

You have done the right thing in asking

OK but even at home, you're not looking for something else, or working for something else. You're losing billing time waiting for them.

[PerfectStorm]

OK but even at home, you're not looking for something else, or working for something else. You're losing billing time waiting for them.

And that's fine if that's what's happening - it's great to be told you can bill, but it's not mandatory and very much name of the game