Ask HN: What is the ideal contract worker agreement?

2 points by bhayden 10 years ago | 6 comments

I am moving from being a full-time employee doing web dev to a remote contractor with my former employer. My hourly wage will be about twice what it was previously, so I feel like that part is sorted out. I was wondering what other stipulations I should add, though. My goal is to only work maybe 10-15 hours a week, and to have as much schedule flexibility as possible (to work on my own projects).

Should I require 24 hours between receiving tasks and completing them (so that I'm not expected to be "on call")?

Should I specify that I'm only available to do work certain days of the week?

Should I try to tell them I won't do external client phone meetings (since this ruins my schedule flexibility)?

Are these unreasonable stipulations for me to add? Are there other conditions I should try to negotiate in that I'm not thinking of?

Firegarden 10 years ago |

As a full time contractor for the last 15 years

- You should expect to be on call and service the client heavily - making sure you bill for everything with detailed time sheets and descriptions. your timesheets are you first line of defense and your time MUST be defensible.

- Basically you want to give the client the impression that you are always on and it's up to you to try and manage your work life. Eg. sign into skype from your phone when your out and if your like in a movie then msg them back IMMEDIATELY and say be back to my OFFICE in 90 mins or what ever. - What is an external client phone meeting?

Basically as a contractor your main goal is to service the client to the max while taking your time and enjoying your work, taking advantage of the time the best you can.

Some people I know sit at there computer all day and service many clients at once giving them all the impression they are the only client. Your best bet is to show as much continuous service as possible while padding in other work like getting more clients, updating your skills etc.

Your not an employee congratulations - don't be confused that you have to defend your time. The best contractors give the client everything they want and bill for all of it while taking advantage of being at home and padding in other work.

bhayden 10 years ago | |

The issue I have is that I don't especially want this gig and don't need it. It's just nice to have for extra cash on the side and the work is easy so it's hard to justify turning it down. Is it really unreasonable to not want to be on call? Because if that's the case, I wouldn't really want to do it at all. I feel like 24 hour turn around on tasks seems reasonable but still being generally reachable and answering emails during business hours.

brudgers 10 years ago |

When you're a contractor, it's about solving the client's problems. Finding out what they need and figuring out what it will cost them to get it is the name of the game. If you can't deliver what they want at a price they want, they should find someone else and you should be ok with that.

bhayden 10 years ago | |

Thanks for the reply. The reason I ask is because I would be solving the clients problems regardless of other stipulations. The reason for my uncertainty of what to ask for is because I've never really done freelance and I am not sure what would be considered normal.

brudgers 10 years ago | | |

The norm is to have normal business terms and to be reasonably available during normal business hours. Once you become a consultant, you're running a business.

That said, the way you learn consulting is by making mistakes. Next time, discuss what the client wants before deciding on a price. Then you can have client meetings at 2x the base rate and set other expectations into the agreement.

On the other hand if you have to point to your contract, there's a bigger client relation problem.