Flanscho
Well-known member
Situation is like this:
November last year, I was working on a project at the company I work for (I'm a programmer). Suddenly one of my two bosses (they share the company) came in with a potential client, asking me whether I could realize some project. I said "sure, should I start with it once I'm done with this?", to which they replied with "none".
Fast forward to mid january this year. I didn't have much to do, no urgent projects to work on. At a meeting of the company (a tiny company, just me, two other coworkers and two bosses), I asked "what about this project mentioned end of last year, what's with it?" And I was told "nah, not important".
Fast forward, to end of january this year. They fire me for not having enough programming work, and tell me that I don't have to show up anymore, since they got no work anyway, but I should stay on standby.
Fast forward today, they asked me to show up, so I did that. This is the last week for me, at the end of this week, my contract with them ends.
One boss: "remember the one project we talked about in november? how quickly can you do it?"
Me: "Uhm, I have to program it from ground up. With these these and these functions (*poining at a mindmap I made*) I can finish it, with luck, in this week. But only if the coworkers provide the layout, graphics and all that, so I can concentrate on programming."
Boss: "not enough, I want it with those functions there too"
Me: "not doable in this week"
Boss: "then do it next week, you had lots of spare time the last few weeks"
Me: "I was on constant standby. Next week I won't work for you anymore. If you want me to work for you then, I can do it as a freelancer, and we negotiate a payment"
Boss: "no! I want this project done until the end of the next week! You had enough time, why didn't you work on it earlier? You didn't have much to do!"
Me: "I asked whether I should work on it. You said I shouldn't."
Boss: "I don't remember that!"
Me: "I remember it clearly. I wrote it down here. I asked in the third week of january during our meeting."
Boss: "I do NOT remember that. And I'm sure neither do the others. You didn't ask. Or if you did, then you just heard what you wanted to hear! You are bad at communication!"
Me: "Sorry? This is not fair! YOU asked me not to work on it. And now YOU blame me for it not being finished?"
Boss: "I will check my notes of this meeting! And you will too! And make me an offer for what you want for the rest of the project!"
So... I could do now following.
a) say "oh yes, we are buddies, I will finish it for free next week because I'm a nice person". They will be glad and I have the feeling of being ripped off.
b) say "screw you! You call me liar, you fire me just like that? You forget that project and blame it on me? My contract ends this week. For the next four days, I will still do the best work I can, but then I'm out of here. I don't care what you do with the project, or how you finish it!" They will be furious and hate me and make the next few days hell, but then I'm out of there for good.
c) give them an expensive offer. A regular good freelancing programmer earns about 50€ an hour, so 400€ a day, which would be 1600€ to 2000€ for the week of work. They will complain and curse and shout and try to negotiate and then say 'no' and hate me.
d) give them a cheap offer, like 30€ an hour. They will still complain, but probably accept.
I don't have much money, but I don't need their money that badly, and I don't really want to work for them anymore. If they call me a liar now, how can I trust them not to scam me on the project?
Please, give me advice.
November last year, I was working on a project at the company I work for (I'm a programmer). Suddenly one of my two bosses (they share the company) came in with a potential client, asking me whether I could realize some project. I said "sure, should I start with it once I'm done with this?", to which they replied with "none".
Fast forward to mid january this year. I didn't have much to do, no urgent projects to work on. At a meeting of the company (a tiny company, just me, two other coworkers and two bosses), I asked "what about this project mentioned end of last year, what's with it?" And I was told "nah, not important".
Fast forward, to end of january this year. They fire me for not having enough programming work, and tell me that I don't have to show up anymore, since they got no work anyway, but I should stay on standby.
Fast forward today, they asked me to show up, so I did that. This is the last week for me, at the end of this week, my contract with them ends.
One boss: "remember the one project we talked about in november? how quickly can you do it?"
Me: "Uhm, I have to program it from ground up. With these these and these functions (*poining at a mindmap I made*) I can finish it, with luck, in this week. But only if the coworkers provide the layout, graphics and all that, so I can concentrate on programming."
Boss: "not enough, I want it with those functions there too"
Me: "not doable in this week"
Boss: "then do it next week, you had lots of spare time the last few weeks"
Me: "I was on constant standby. Next week I won't work for you anymore. If you want me to work for you then, I can do it as a freelancer, and we negotiate a payment"
Boss: "no! I want this project done until the end of the next week! You had enough time, why didn't you work on it earlier? You didn't have much to do!"
Me: "I asked whether I should work on it. You said I shouldn't."
Boss: "I don't remember that!"
Me: "I remember it clearly. I wrote it down here. I asked in the third week of january during our meeting."
Boss: "I do NOT remember that. And I'm sure neither do the others. You didn't ask. Or if you did, then you just heard what you wanted to hear! You are bad at communication!"
Me: "Sorry? This is not fair! YOU asked me not to work on it. And now YOU blame me for it not being finished?"
Boss: "I will check my notes of this meeting! And you will too! And make me an offer for what you want for the rest of the project!"
So... I could do now following.
a) say "oh yes, we are buddies, I will finish it for free next week because I'm a nice person". They will be glad and I have the feeling of being ripped off.
b) say "screw you! You call me liar, you fire me just like that? You forget that project and blame it on me? My contract ends this week. For the next four days, I will still do the best work I can, but then I'm out of here. I don't care what you do with the project, or how you finish it!" They will be furious and hate me and make the next few days hell, but then I'm out of there for good.
c) give them an expensive offer. A regular good freelancing programmer earns about 50€ an hour, so 400€ a day, which would be 1600€ to 2000€ for the week of work. They will complain and curse and shout and try to negotiate and then say 'no' and hate me.
d) give them a cheap offer, like 30€ an hour. They will still complain, but probably accept.
I don't have much money, but I don't need their money that badly, and I don't really want to work for them anymore. If they call me a liar now, how can I trust them not to scam me on the project?
Please, give me advice.
mg: