Self Employment and Training

John_P

Hi All,

I am currently self employed and bill a daily rate. This company want me to undertake training at their premises to enhance my worth at a cost to them not me (I get it for free).

Does anyone know If I can still charge them my daily rate whilst I am being trained by them?

John

KiKi

I would say it depends entirely on your agreement with them.

If they want you to work for them, and the training is necessary, then I might consider charging something. I once attended a one-day seminar for a client because they needed me to learn some specific information in order to best advise them. They paid for it, but as it benefited me (a little bit!), I charged a half-day rate. But this was agreed in advance, and it partly covered my travel to the seminar, too.

I think you have to weigh up how long the training's for, what you are getting from it (useful skills for other clients, too?), and how much you're worth to them - would they think you so cheeky for billing that they'd stop giving you work? Also, how much work will you get from them as a result?

If this training benefits you, and if it's only a day or so, and if it means you will get some good work from this client then I wouldn't bill a thing.

But if you're not bothered about the work, and if it's training which is only useful for the client, for 5 days - and you're only getting a couple of weeks' work from them, I'd agree a half-day bill per training day or something.

But you *must* agree this up front, not just charge them out of the blue.

KiKi

Hammyman

You can charge however I would question the value of doing so and would suggest that if this is training that will help you with other clients that a reduced rate or free if its not too long might be a better idea.