To think you honour your first commitment

[LampGenie]

Let’s say someone was offered a big piece of client facing work in the diary for six months away that they accepted. Very exciting, new area, brings new skills to the person and a new target client base.

Many months after the first piece of work they then get offered a second piece of work for the time period just before the first. Fits their current skill set very well, usual clients, exciting because they have been requested for the job but something they have def done before.

The people running the first piece then request that the person needs to isolate for 14 days before they start because of the nature of the work. Person refuses, ditches the first contract with less than a month to go and just goes with the second.

Aibu or really should they have stuck to their original agreement?

YABU. The terms of the first commitment changed significantly, so of course they were right to cancel it.

@RemyHadley

The first commitment changed significantly. When they accepted it 6 months ago, they did not agree to isolate first for two weeks, and that requirement has only recently been added in.

In those circumstances it’s fine for them to turn down the first commitment and go with the second offer instead.

Yes.

I work freelance and I often book in work a few months ahead. If the dates change then sometimes I have to cancel. This is effectively bringing forward the start date by 2 weeks, so I don't think it's wrong to pull out.

If they want them to isolate for 2 weeks then it can be on their time not the freelancer's.

The first contract changed the terms. Self isolating wasn't originally part of the terms

Moving the goalposts after an agreed signed contract, before you even start, is a red flag Covid or not, IME of contracting. Smacks of reactive (not proactive) & poor planning.How do you cover 2weeks of no money? I'd go with the other work as it's prob going to be easy money & get me similar repeat work too.

Normally I'd say yes, but "btw isolate for 14 days prior" is a major change to terms, so no. Was there an offer of pay for the 14 days, out of interest?

Not with that new bit! They'd need to pay me if they wanted me to isolate for a fortnight.

I think there are 3 issues:

Is the 14 days paid? It should be.

The start date was agreed, and if self-isolation is needed it should start from the first date of the contract, not 2 weeks before.

Are you willing and able to self-isolate 24/7 for 14 days? This is a new condition added to an existing agreement, and might involve a lot of inconvenience and rearranging other commitments, so I don't think it's unreasonable to cancel because of this.

@LampGenie

Let’s say someone was offered a big piece of client facing work in the diary for six months away that they accepted. Very exciting, new area, brings new skills to the person and a new target client base.

Many months after the first piece of work they then get offered a second piece of work for the time period just before the first. Fits their current skill set very well, usual clients, exciting because they have been requested for the job but something they have def done before.

The people running the first piece then request that the person needs to isolate for 14 days before they start because of the nature of the work. Person refuses, ditches the first contract with less than a month to go and just goes with the second.

Aibu or really should they have stuck to their original agreement?

Sounds like they're much better utilised in the second role.

Did you try to offload the annoying isolating client and are annoyed you got scuppered?

Well, she has made a commitment to the second client as well. To let them down to through no fault of their own is far worse than telling the first client, "I'm sorry I can't accommodate that change as I have already agreed work with another client in that period". It is by far the lesser of two "evils". Pissing off a repeat client to pander to a new client's last minute change is poor business.

Clients need to accept that changes to scopes may mean that it is no longer possible to deliver that work. I mean how is this any different to that first client saying they absolutely must have the work done two weeks earlier at relatively short notice? Who would you favour then?

I would have gone back to the first client and given them a revised invoice for the extra two weeks - at whatever i would have lost on the new contract, to give them a chance to have me on board.

I agree with everybody, I they don't offer to pay for the 2 weeks then it is quite an important change and it would definitely justify dropping the contract.