Understanding Retainership: What My Friend Needs to Know About Working as an Editor

My friend has received an offer for retainership as an editor starting next week. Since it is his first time, he has some doubts:

1. How does it actually work? Should he wait the whole day in front of the computer or mobile for any mail/message regarding work from the company? Or can he just be doing anything and, when he gets work, he needs to complete it within the deadline?

2. Are retainer editors considered lower than full-time employees? Does it reflect in how they are treated?

3. Is there any future for retainers after the term in the industry? The company, of course, may extend if they are happy with his work.

Can somebody please respond? For a first-timer, it would be beneficial to have some knowledge about these things.

Dear Aishwarya, your friend has been offered a Retainership contract, as the services are deemed to last for a duration. However, if the firm has a policy to convert the consultant on a Retainership agreement, it works to their benefit.

Technical Details of Retainership in India

Here are some technical details about how Retainership works in India and its legal implications.

- [Retainership: Income Tax](https://www.citehr.com/29859-retainership-income-tax.html)
- [Retainership-Dual Employment](https://www.citehr.com/411841-retainership-model-dual-employment.html)
- [Benefits of Converting a Retainer](https://www.citehr.com/352941-company-benefits-staff-converting-retainership-basis.html)

There can be operational differences in how firms implement them. Hence, the areas including workflow, volume, and deadlines are entirely the Reporting Manager's prerogative. Unless he has signed a Service Level Agreement with a set of deliverables and their Turn-Around-Time, he has no reasons to worry.

The experience under Retainership would be valued as this is a very common practice for employment. It's not just limited to one vertical, i.e., print business; there is a post on a Doctor being hired as a Retainer. As long as your friend is creating value with his tasks and adding to his professional acumen, he is building on his credibility.

Hope that answers your questions.

Since your friend has been offered a retainer position as an editor, he will be assigned tasks by the senior editor and must report to the senior editor or chief editor. Retainers do not have the same privileges as full-time employees, but they are not considered lower or higher than employees, as that would be equivalent to discrimination.

Lastly, retainers can be converted to employees, or the retainership can be extended depending on the company's policies, rules, and regulations.