Was this your first contract gig?
I don’t know what your industry is, but my last 3 jobs I all found and got through Indeed.com, for what it’s worth.
Try to get a reference that would validate that you did good work.
Of course, the problem with agency contract work is that the Pharma company may not be selecting its own workers but rather taking what the agency sends them.
That said, there is always a fly in the ointment for agency employers. When an employee over 40 is terminated and his replacement is under 40, it is prima facie age discrimination and the employer then has the burden of proof that there was a primary non-age related reason for the termination. Well run HR departments are good at papering the file. Poorly run HR departments are terrible at it.
And, with a new population of workers coming in from an agency, there is always a younger worker in the mob to hang your hat on.
Age discrimination lawyers do not charge. They are commission workers. If they will take your case, go with it. They won’t take it if you aren’t going to get something.
Sorry to hear about your situation. If it is anything like NC, if you were on a W2 to the contract company and you completed the necessary time to draw unemployment, then that means someone at the staffing company contested it. You should be able to get some info on why they fought it. If you were on a 1099, then you are SOL re unemployment insurance. I would just tell prospective employers your contract ended. That’s what contracts do.
You should know contracts sre not employment.
In the meantime, hit Monster, Dice, Ladders, and Indeed. You willl find something soon enough.
had already contributed substantive improvements to streamline their review process.
I hope I got your handle right, this is a ping.
Got any info for this guy..?
Your employer was actually the contract agency, no?
If it were a long-term relationship you’d had with them and the employer had never given them complaint or warning, etc., then I would say that agency is the one who ethically should have let you build up a small severance entitlement. But that of course would have to do with them. If you were a good contractor, I’d think they’d want to go out of their way to help you out and get you placed elsewhere.
Also, if you were working in their client’s organization for a long period of time, on site, wouldn’t you have some sort of informal relationship with any employees there who could clue you in or would/could have advocated for you?
Good luck. But I don’t think you’re really in a bind insofar as you don’t know why their contract with you was ended. It just was.
Same thing happened to me when I was a contractor here in Raleigh. But it was my own fault because I mentioned something about salary and the employees there didn’t appreciate it even though what I said was in Jest. My contracting company had to keep me on salary because I had a letter of appreciation and a gift from the company I was consulting to had given to me 2 days earlier. They gave themselves 4 weeks to find a new gig for me else they’d have to let me go. I didn’t wait for them, I went out and found my own next Job which was 3 times as good and lasted for 7 years. Sh*t happens and maybe by the time you read this you’ll have found a new job. Good Luck, Harpotoo.
Contract job, always subject to termination per the contract with the staffing agency. You were employed by the staffing agency, not the pharma company. Pharma Company has no reason to tell you why it terminated the contract.
Solution: put your name out there with other staffing agencies, put your resume on Indeed, etc. put your head down and go get another job. In today’s economy contract workers are more and more common. Keeps the company overhead down, able to bring in employees and move them out much easier (no state/federal laws regarding prior notifications, etc).
Good luck.
When you go on your next interview simply state that the "project's contract" got canceled. If pressed as to why you can offer that business projects get de-funded, stalled, canceled, and so on but you are not privy to those internal business decision. Nonetheless, explain to the interviewer that they can verify this with your agency.
Oh, and why were you denied unemployment?
Generally if you’d worked for your agency for a long period of time and you weren’t fired for cause, you should be eligible. Even seasonal workers, like fishermen or apple pickers, who know their job is only of a certain duration can build up eligibility for unemployment when their gig ends.
Just say the contract came to the end. You streamlined etc and mission accomplished
Were they paying into unemployment for you? If UE is denying your claim and if it’s because the claim you were terminated for cause you have a right to see what they are claiming. If it’s just because there was too little time you have a right to know that as well.
You have a right to know why your unemployment claim was denied and you have a right to appeal. For now, that is the best way to find out what the supposed legitimate business reason for your firing was, if there was any.
Easy for me to say, sitting on the sidelines, but I'd not worry about the "whys". Unlikely that you'd be terminated for taking a vacation day, unless it was commonplace for you to miss time - and you'd likely know if attendance was a problem. More likely that your boss was told by his boss who was told up the chain of command .... to cut costs. Or, to go with a new contract company. Or something else equally innocuous.
Unfortunately, you get to deal with the fall-out. Sometimes fate rolls us snake-eyes. No way to get around it, sometimes you have no choice in the matter. Where you *do* have a say, however, is in how you decide to respond to the situation.
The old job is behind you, it's time to move on to other opportunities. I'd not dwell on it during interviews, if asked - be honest - but something like "My contract was terminated" isn't a stretch. Line up some good references. If you're concerned about appearances, fill your time with something - take some classes at a local community college, volunteer somewhere in your field - that will give you something to talk about when the interviewer says "What are you doing now?". Network. Go to groups/meetings/seminars that are in your field of work. Or, get a job - any job - to fill the time, and get a paycheck. It's always easier to find work when you're already working.
Good luck. Doesn't seem like it now, but this too shall pass. And, years later, you may look back on what's happening now as a time of excitement, where you made excellent career decisions, rather than the current trepidation.
It happens. Smile, let it go, and move on. A huge positive is the Trump economy is humming, even in NJ. Start job searching, make sure you network, and go to job fairs. Join a local service organization and volunteer. Leverage your network and see where there are openings that a friend or colleague can recommend you and get your resume in front of the hiring manager so you get an interview.
You will be fine.
JoMa
If it was a contract job all you need to say is the company decided to terminate the contract and you were notified while on vacation.
It’s the truth and if they ask if you were given a reason say no they did not provide one. Don’t conjecture unless asked to. My only reply if they ask my opinion would be that the company decided to take a different approach.
What is your family status and are you a home owner or renting?
If you are single and renting, then decide how much of your belongings you can fit in your vehicle, sell or give away the rest, and then drive like a bat out of hell to any other state.
Here is the unemployment rates, by state:
https://www.bls.gov/web/laus/laumstrk.htm