NOW THAT I HAVE LEFT CONTRACT WORK behind me, at least for now, I have to say that not having to explain myself—that is, how I do what I do—is a relief.
Those who have fooled themselves into thinking that they have secure jobs in their full-time employment have never understood my penchant for the temporary aspects of contact work. At the very least, they are confounded by my preference for working in short bursts and for fifty-hour work weeks in order to enjoy chunks of time off. Of course, I didn’t get their love of steady employment.
For me, months between gigs gave me the freedom I needed to tend to my creating writing practice. Self-employment suited my work-style as well as my lifestyle. Long days followed by shorter ones is a dream to me. Whereas the daily grind of standard business hours is just that. A grind.
For close to a decade, I over-explained my situation to nearly everyone who asked what I did. As studies have shown, as a self-employed writer, I put in longer hours, and was more productive working from my home than my salaried counterparts were in the office. I made my own hours, earned more per hour, and per year, than I had in permanent jobs, and was still able to take three to four months per year off work.
Friends and close acquaintances called it unemployment. I called it inspiring.
My freedom pissed off worker-bee types.
Let’s be clear: I contracted. That is, I engaged in a business arrangement for an hourly rate and invoiced my clients. I did not pay E.I., nor was I eligible to claim it.
That was back in the early 2000′s. Contract work has turned into something different, to an arrangement that benefits the employer and wrests nearly every advantage, with the exception of tax deductible expenses. The benefits of contract work have dissipated along with the availability of contract work.
Employers now call full-time, temporary work contract work. It is not. They are paying an hourly rate to a temporary employee and deducts EI, CPP, and income tax (and sometimes benefits), from said employees. These “contractors” must work on-site and are expected to behave as if they are employees—attending team meetings, working 9-5, taking 15-minute breaks, participating in birthday celebrations, department lunches—all the boring crap that I most dislike about office work.
The only benefit is paid statutory holidays and 4% vacation pay.
Oh, and as I was recently reminded by a hiring HR representative, as a “contractor” because I pay Employment Insurance, I am able to collect it once my “contract” ended. Reprehensible, I think, that this would be considered a selling feature.
So, with the changing times, I, too, have changed.
The way I see it, if I am going to be the equivalent of an employee, why not also get the benefit of paid vacation days, sick days, corporate discounts? Now, I drive the same route to work, sit at the same desk, and work the same hours every day.
Once permanent employee status caused me to be dissatisfied and disappointed with my work life because it meant that I was not doing what I wanted to do. Today, it is gloriously dissatisfying in a different way because it means that as a permanent employee, I show up at the office more often, but do less work. This allows me time and energy to tend to my creative garden. On company time.
Thanks, I’m happy to be back.