contract work problems

Morpheus

im working in a computer localisation company..

im currently coming to the end of my 3rd consecutive 3 month contract with them..

someone told me that they must now either offer me full time work or let me go that a company cannot offer 4 consecutive short term contracts, that basically they cant keep stringing you along like that....

Anyone here know anything about this??? im confused and to be honest my immediate future is feeling pretty un-sure at the minute. I do want permanent work, or at least 6 month contracts, but i cant get anything.

Im working with degree in computer science and 3 yrs solid SQL and VB6 and now about 4 months SQL ASP.NET and C# experience on top of it. Does my future look safe enough?

dazberry

Morphéus

The short answer is I don't know... The slightly longer answer is that there seems to be a magic 11 month period that I've seen in a number of places that results in people being employed on some form of contract for 11 months (I'll hit 10 on my 3rd renewal this year). Same thing goes no where I work.

What I know is that you can be employed on fixed-term contracts up to 3 years. Once the 3rd year has completed, you can only be offered one more fixed-term contract (for up to a year) - subject to being made permanent or being let go.

I've read the dumbed downed versions of all this, and I haven't seen anywhere that limits the time period to 11 months, or the number of contracts for that matter within the first 3 years.

There may be of course other reasons why the 11 month period is significant - which I am unaware of. Against that, I remember this in 1994 when I started my first job. The legislation has been changed twice I think, so I don't know if the 11 month rule is valid anymore. I definitely doesn't appear to be from what I've read, but as I've said there may be other rational behind it.

You can see all this in entemp.ie. I think I'll just email them myself to see what the significance of 11 months is because I'm damned if I know.

D.

pebble

That is absolultely wrong. If you are contracting, then it's up to you to get the best contract you can. There are no rules on how many contracts you can have, or the length of them. The company you work for can giv you 100 short term contracts if they like.

I think you may be mixing it up with periods of probation. You are entitled to be made permantent once you reach 12 months unbroken probation time, which is why so many people lose their jobs 11 months into a probation period.

are you getting your terminology mixed up?

dazberry

Contracting != Fixed-Term Salaried Contract. Perhaps Morph. could elaborate to avoid confusion...

D.

RicardoSmith

Somehow I think if he was contracting he wouldn't be asking this question. I reckon hes employed directly by the company on a 3 month contract. Hes only there 9 months so they can keep doing this for a while yet.

However with the kind of experience Morphéus has you'd pick up contract work very quickly so I wouldn't stress too much about it.

Morpheus

Alright,

yes i'm on my third continually renewed fixed term 3 month contract, salary is based on what id earn if i was full time and earning 26K pa... peanuts huh?

Im not actually contracting under an umbrella company or under my private company, something im thinking about, but i dont fancy the hassles that come with that type of contract.

Id rather full time or at least 1 year contracts earning 30K plus... is this unrealistic? Im earning less now per month than when i started my first job 3 years ago!!

RicardoSmith

Seems a little low. A programmer with your experience I would say should be on 30-38k and if on contract 220-350 a day. But you'd have to be "good". Also the market seems to be a little light on full time roles. I'm seeing a lot of short term contracts around. Certainly any surveys you read say you should be on 45K but I take those surveys with a pinch of salt to be honest. Working on contract theres lots of expenses and hidden costs, and you can be off work for a month or between contracts. So you can end up having a yearly salary much less than you'd think. I think a few years back rates were better and salaries were better. Certainly I'm on less than I was a few years back. But I'm hoping its a blip in the market.

But don't jump till you get a good position somewhere else. I stopped contracting a few months back to go into a permanent role. Money was good and the work was ok, but I hated the people I had to work with. In the end I left after 4 months and went back contracting. Money is now worse, but I'm happier.

Morpheus

Well i had a meeting bout the contract today and they wont be renewing it a third time. Theres not enough work and the projects ive been working on are nearing completion.

Im back on the market i hate doing interviews... Anyway looking for permanent work or at least a long term contract, if you know of anything going, let me know?

Damn jobs, why cant i get one decent long term position so i can finally begin saving?

cheers...

RicardoSmith

I'm in the same boat. Keep getting short term contracts. Pain in the butt.