Re: Indepenent Contractor questions

["Elna Tymes" <etymes -at- lts -dot- com>]

Tim Lewis wrote:

> I know I
> should limit the duration of the contract such as one month, renewable by
> mutual agreement. Should I put a limit on the number of hours I will work
> per week?

Limiting the contract to one month is unneccesarily conservative, IMHO.  Most
agency contracts are for three or six months, with extensions after that.  As
for limiting the number of hours/week you'll work, unless there's a really good
reason, I wouldnt.  By doing so you're in effect telling the client that you're
not available for high-demand situations; most contractors make their clients
feel good by being willing to do whatever it takes (within some limits) to get
the job done, and putting in more than 40 hrs/week is part of that.

> Should I charge them a flat weekly fee rather than by the hour? What about
> overtime?

Unless you're quite experienced with working for this particular client, I
wouldn't do a flat-price contract.  There are some on the list who have no
problems with flat-price deals, but they have a tendency to blow up in our
faces.  As for overtime, we just charge the regular hourly rate.

> I know I will need to see other clients from time to time. Should I write
> into the contract that I am free to take time for other business and that I
> am not working for them exclusively?

Why bring up the subject unless your client demands your time exclusively?  If
you're doing the job he wants, he'll be glad for the time he gets.

> When you work on-site, how do you usually report the number of hours you
> work for a client?

Real hours, from arrival time to leaving time.  And if they keep you waiting
for information, that's their time too.

Elna Tymes
Los Trancos Systems