Advice for a Contractor Leaving Their Contract Early

Contractors are often afraid of leaving their contract early as they are worried about the legal implications and associated costs.

Contracts are often for a fixed duration, which can make it difficult to leave early. However, if something happens either at work or in your personal life that means you need to be able to end your contract early, it is in the best interest of both parties to make this transition as easy as possible. So, what are the implications for a contractor leaving a contract early?

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Assess your reasons for leaving your contract early

As a contractor it is important that you ensure you are leaving a contract early it for the right reasons.

Not only could leaving your contract early have a negative impact on your future contract opportunities with the company, it may also impact future opportunities with other companies.

Refer to your original contract

Many companies will have a boilerplate contract for their contractors which will make the process of leaving early very opaque. However, there may be a process you need to follow in order to terminate your contract early.

This is in the best interest of both parties, as the company employing you might want to let you go before the end of your contract. Often, there will be a notice period for both parties, so you will simply need to observe this and give the appropriate amount of notice before departing.

Speak to your employer

It may be easier to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion by simply speaking to your employer. If your reason for leaving your contract early is personal, for example, if your family is relocating, then they might be amenable to ending the contract sooner and with a minimum of fuss.

If you have a problem with the position or if it isn’t what you were expecting, they might appreciate your candour. Depending on the situation, being open with your reasons for leaving might result in a much more satisfactory conclusion.

What if there is a breach of contract?

If your employer is in breach of contract and you wish to terminate, you may need to seek legal advice to ensure you are on the right side of the law prior to making any decision to leave or otherwise.

While contractor insurance won’t cover you if you decide to terminate your contract, it will give you access to a help and advice line to help you make the right decision. With or without contractor insurance, it is advisable to seek the advice of an employment law solicitor.

It’s important to make sure you check all contracts before signing on the dotted line. If you are unsure about any clauses, have a legal professional check it over to ensure you aren’t signing anything that you may regret further down the line.

With contractor insurance from Caunce O’Hara, you can be assured that expert legal advice will be just a phone call away. Our award-winning team are on-hand to take your call on 0333 321 1403.

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