Contractors day rates and hours worked!
Discussion
Marcellus said:
I am just pondering how this is managed.
You have a contractor working for a company at an agreed £x per day.
Is there a "recognised/standard" number of hours per day for which the £x is charged?
and then what happens if that number of hours are exceeded?
My contractors typically work to an 8 hour day. If they need to spend significantly more hours during a day, I'd expect to discuss with them and agree how to handle, but occasional hours here and there I'd expect to be covered within the base day rate. You have a contractor working for a company at an agreed £x per day.
Is there a "recognised/standard" number of hours per day for which the £x is charged?
and then what happens if that number of hours are exceeded?
I also factor that in to things like doctors appointments etc. so there's a bit of give and take, but a lot of people will expect contractors to make up the time formally or bill less.
8 hours a day is standard for me. Occasional work over that is absorbed on a goodwill basis. Long term work over the 8 hours/day is either recouped with shorter days later on or with agreed "overtime" rates. The "overtime" usually only triggers after a certain threshold on a normal working day. Working on a non-working day (weekend for example) I charge a half day for anything up to 4 hours and a full day for anything between 4 and 8 hours, but it all needs to be agreed between the contractor and the client UP FRONT! 
It's in the contract, innit. Well, always in mine ... 1 min up to 4 hours = half day billed; next 1 min up to a total of 8 hours = full day billed; 1 minute to whatever on top of the 8 hours is additional at the agreed rate per part hour. Bank holidays and weekends at an agreed rate.
Not agreeing it in the first place with the client is where it can all go horribly wrong.
Not agreeing it in the first place with the client is where it can all go horribly wrong.
Topic reminded me of this joke:
A Contractor dies in a car accident on his 40th birthday and finds himself at the Pearly Gates.
A brass band is playing, the angels are singing a beautiful hymn, there is a huge crowd cheering and shouting his name, and absolutely everyone wants to shake his hand.
Just when he thinks things can't possibly get any better, Saint Peter himself runs over, apologizes for not greeting him personally at the Pearly Gates, shakes his hand, and says, "Congratulations son, we've been waiting a long time for you."
Totally confused and a little embarrassed, the Contractor sheepishly looks at Saint Peter and says "Saint Peter, I tried to lead a God-fearing life, I loved my family, I tried to obey the Ten Commandments, but congratulations for what? I honestly don't remember doing anything really special when I was alive."
"Congratulations for what?" says Saint Peter, totally amazed at the man's modesty. "We're celebrating the fact that you lived to be 160 years old! God himself wants to see you!"
The designer is awestruck and can only look at Saint Peter with his mouth wide open. When he regains his power of speech, he looks up at Saint Peter and says "Saint Peter, I lived my life in the eternal hope that when I died I would be judged by God and be found to be worthy, but I only lived to be forty".
"That's simply impossible son," says Saint Peter. "We've added up your time sheets."
A Contractor dies in a car accident on his 40th birthday and finds himself at the Pearly Gates.
A brass band is playing, the angels are singing a beautiful hymn, there is a huge crowd cheering and shouting his name, and absolutely everyone wants to shake his hand.
Just when he thinks things can't possibly get any better, Saint Peter himself runs over, apologizes for not greeting him personally at the Pearly Gates, shakes his hand, and says, "Congratulations son, we've been waiting a long time for you."
Totally confused and a little embarrassed, the Contractor sheepishly looks at Saint Peter and says "Saint Peter, I tried to lead a God-fearing life, I loved my family, I tried to obey the Ten Commandments, but congratulations for what? I honestly don't remember doing anything really special when I was alive."
"Congratulations for what?" says Saint Peter, totally amazed at the man's modesty. "We're celebrating the fact that you lived to be 160 years old! God himself wants to see you!"
The designer is awestruck and can only look at Saint Peter with his mouth wide open. When he regains his power of speech, he looks up at Saint Peter and says "Saint Peter, I lived my life in the eternal hope that when I died I would be judged by God and be found to be worthy, but I only lived to be forty".
"That's simply impossible son," says Saint Peter. "We've added up your time sheets."
The "standard" number of hours in a day will be in the contract. In my case it's 8 hours including a 1 hour lunch break, although I generally I do a bit more. Weekends at normal rate but generally for fewer hours.
But as it's a big company, people don't really care if you come in late, take 2 hour lunches etc. I much prefer this kind of informal flexible arrangement than sticking to rigid hours.
But as it's a big company, people don't really care if you come in late, take 2 hour lunches etc. I much prefer this kind of informal flexible arrangement than sticking to rigid hours.
Ours is a 'professional day' of as little as 6 hours (core hours of 10am-4pm) to as much as 16 hours (clock restarts at midnight), but we're told to put 7.5 hours into the timesheet system no matter how many hours we do.
Ostensibly this is because we're on a flat daily rate and the number of hours in the timesheet won't matter - but it also cleverly hides any evidence of long hours if a dispute arises.
I just quoted my rate based on a 12 hour day (i.e. my hourly rate x 12). Client is happy to pay what I'm asking and I'm happy to take it. Average day is running at 10 hours, based on my last 3 years here.
We also have a couple of new contractors who were brought in to replace about a dozen who quit. The new ones are working all hours for a basic daily rate whilst more are recruited - but they've been doing these 16 hour days since Christmas and are now about ready to quit too.
Ostensibly this is because we're on a flat daily rate and the number of hours in the timesheet won't matter - but it also cleverly hides any evidence of long hours if a dispute arises.
I just quoted my rate based on a 12 hour day (i.e. my hourly rate x 12). Client is happy to pay what I'm asking and I'm happy to take it. Average day is running at 10 hours, based on my last 3 years here.
We also have a couple of new contractors who were brought in to replace about a dozen who quit. The new ones are working all hours for a basic daily rate whilst more are recruited - but they've been doing these 16 hour days since Christmas and are now about ready to quit too.
Most contracts I've worked under use the phrase "professional working day" and I earn a daily rate which has been negotiated and agreed up front based on what they are willing to pay and what I think is an appriate level of hassle-tax. This has always been fine for me as everyone I've worked for has been reasonable and there has been give and take on both sides. If the hours ever became unreasonable through no fault of mine then I wouldn't seek a renewal or simply serve notice if it was too bad.
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