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Subject:Re: Ethics of Jumping To Another Contract Job From:"Stephanie Bryant" <mortaine -at- gmail -dot- com> To:TECHWR-L <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Fri, 13 Jul 2007 08:09:46 -0700
It's not merely an ethical question, Richard. It might also be a legal one.
What was the contract you signed? If you have no formal or even verbal
contract, just "we'd like to keep you here, if you don't mind," then your
obligations are different. If your contract is through an agency, find out
what your contract is with that agency. In some states, "creative
professionals" (which can include technical writers, but usually doesn't)
are obligated to complete work contracted for, because no other person can
replace them in creating that work.
Someone brought up "at will employment," but remember that, as a contractor,
you are not employed by the company. You either have a contract that binds
you to them for work for a set period of time, or you don't. Find out. If
the original 6-month contract had a termination clause, as it probably did,
and the extension is under the same terms, then find out under what terms
you can terminate the clause. If there was no termination clause, then not
only are you obligated to stay, but the company would be obligated to keep
you to the end of your term; such a contract can usually be modified, of
course, if both of you agree to change it. (I am not a lawyer, this is not
legal advice, etc.)
It might be unwanted, but if you've done a good job, are up-front about what
you wish to do, and are invested in helping them transition to a new person,
you will probably find that your client wishes you well and hopes you'll be
back someday.
--Stephanie
On 7/12/07, Richard Lewis <tech44writer -at- yahoo -dot- com> wrote:
>
> I completed a six month contract job and, just prior to it ending, I was
> offer a second six months. I was told all along that my work was very good
> but, I was kind of surprised when they gave me the second extension. I
> have worked about 1 month of the extension.
>
--
Stephanie Bryant
Author, Videoblogging for Dummies
mortaine -at- gmail -dot- com http://www.mortaine.com/
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