Ten weeks into a contract-to-hire and company wants to cut out the "to hire" part [duplicate]

Question

I accepted a position through a recruiting agency and was told that I would be a contractor for no more than four months, at which point I would become a salaried employee, receive a substantial pay raise, and become eligible for benefits and bonuses.

Now that I've been working for a little over two months, my supervisor informed me that the company is having some financial difficulties and they won't be able to hire me until next Spring.

I have several costs to handle (health insurances, education degree, etc.), that are growing more every time. I love the company and don't want to leave but I'm not sure if I'll be able to afford to make ends meet.

Would it be acceptable to ask for an increase in my hourly wage and if so, how should I go about it, i.e., should I ask my supervisor directly or should I ask the recruiting agency to negotiate on my behalf?

Answer 1

You should have negotiated a contracting rate that folds in those additional factors. Even bench time spent looking for the next gig. If you buy one Coke at the store, the individual price is going to be higher than if you buy a 6-pack. Good luck, but it doesn't sound like things will work out to your satisfaction. A lot of times, a Contract-To-Hire is a euphemism for contract, but they want to dangle a carrot to make you think that if you work harder, then you might get rewarded. If they really were thinking of a full-time salaried position, then they would have hired you that way out right. Even the full-time salaried offer can be suspect. Sometimes, employers will hire you as a full-time employee to avoid paying the additional markup that a savey contractor would bill. Start looking for a new job ASAP If you are not needy for the money, you might want to quit now. They might probably still need you, so maybe you might have room for negotiation, as you know where the bodies are buried! Once things happen on their timeline, they will let you go when it is convenient for them. Don't be petty or verdictive in your negotiations, just say that you have options to explore, if you want to pull this off. They can smell a bluff it is too obvious.

Answer 2

Would it be acceptable to ask for an increase in my hourly wage and if so, how should I go about it, i.e., should I ask my supervisor directly or should I ask the recruiting agency to negotiate on my behalf?

Given that you obtained this through an agency I suggest you contact them first to see if they can do anything about it.

If those 4 months period are specified in the contract you signed then it seems like they are indeed taking back their word.

This is quite unprofessional, and something you should consider if you still wish to work in a place like that.

Given that you still want that job (and nothing can be done to revert this), you should try to ask for such raise to your manager or have the agency know you wish such raise. You can then decide based on their counter-offer.

As a side suggestion, it could be wise to start job hunting. Good luck, hope this helps.