positiveenergy
9th July 2008, 16:23
Does anyone know how much notice I have to give as an independant contractor?
I started work as an Independant contractor last week and thought things were going very well but am now being treated very unfairly and so I have decided to terminate my contract with them and want to put it in writing. No specific terms were agreed apart from my hourly rate as they called me out of the blue and wanted me to start at short notice.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.Thanks.
OldWelshGuy
9th July 2008, 16:27
you can just walk if you haven't signed anything. I seem to recall the law stated that to finish on a Friday you had to give notice before 12 on monday. I know it used to be that way with regard notice of layoff.
ozbon
9th July 2008, 18:30
If you haven't signed anything, yes, you can walk out with no comebacks.
I'd personally give them a week's notice - at least that way one party is behaving ethically - but it also depends on whether they're going to pay you, and how. If you just walk away, I'd lay money you won't get paid for the work you've done.
Also, chalk this up to experience. If a company calls out the blue and wants you to start today/tomorrow, it should ring alarm bells. Make sure that there's paperwork in place - it protects both you and them - with at least a basic contract (which includes a notice clause for both parties) so that everyone knows where they stand.
You don't say what the problems are - fair enough, no worries - but bear in mind also that being a contractor can be a role where you take a lot of rubbish (or rude words to that effect) from other people. At the end of the day, you're getting paid for the work though - and so long as you get paid, that's all that really matters, unless the treatment is truly unfair and unreasonable.
All the best with it.