Any IT contractors here?

paddyrg

Sounds like a lemon of a job if you're effectively on call for half the normal rate with no minimum guarantee. You could easily spend half your week traveling for an hour here or there. Doesn't sound so much like a professional contract as it does being their (female dog word). No thanks.

I can only guess they're employing like this because they're used to agency staff on zero-hour deals being able to patchwork their contracts - but that only works in a market which is oversupplied with appropriate labour, not one requiring specialist, unavailable skills. And if they're advertising the job, sounds suspiciously like the person before you didn't want it... maybe for a reason

Walk away, I say.

gettingready

LOL yes, exactly how I take it.. thanks

gettingready

Just an update - Was due to start on Monday, contract arrived via email on Friday at 3:30 pm (bless their white cotton socks) followed by phone calls pretty much urging me to e-sign. Yes.. sure....

Was not at home at the time and reading 22 pages on the phone and sign was not an option.

Had a good look at it today and shock horror to be honest.

They can terminate contract with 1 days notice (first 2 weeks) or 1 week notice (up to a month) and 1 month notice when over a month on the job without liability for compensation.

BUT - I have no way of getting out of a 6 month contract before the end date as this would be "breach of contract" and they "could claim damages" blah blah blah

Now, that was the last nail to the coffin to be honest - I was seriously thinking of starting on Monday as have been out of work for a while but no way would sign a contract with this kind of nonsense in it.

Would you? Seriously?

paddyrg

Whether the terms are enforceable is another matter (you probably cannot be beholden to 6 months if their obligation is a day - symmetry is normally expected), but the fact you have been asked to sign a 22pp contract unread (the fact they have a 22pp contract to begin with, indeed) suggests more grief down the road. My contact with (big software company) ran to 4 pages, Equity film actors contracts extend to 7 pages, so 22 pages would seem excessive, bordering on controlling and slightly... nuts?

gettingready

Yup, my thoughts too - did not sign of course.
Sent them an email that in view of several unacceptable clauses within the contract I am unable to sign and/or accept.
Good luck to them...

skintpaul

surely unsocial hours should be paid more?

gettingready

They were not - nights/weekends/over 8 a day. .. all at standard, same rate.

The problem is, the more people accept those jobs/contracts/T&C - the more companies/agencies will try it..