Particularly in the contract market - I often see the process for taking on a contractor or consultant play out the exact same way as for an employee, forgetting that the interview process is very flawed and you can send the consultant home at any point you feel like with zero comeback.
That said I’ve also seen companies pay contractors a month’s severance for no reason whatsoever too. A lot of places don’t seem to understand what they’re doing.
my contracting contracts - in Denmark - often have a notice period but it is around 1 week to 1 month.
I pretty much refuse coding exercises for contract work since it's so easy to get rid of me if you don't like it, and anyway as a contractor you get paid per hour so they should pay me for it. But sometimes there comes a place you really want to work for and they happen to have the coding exercise...
That said I’ve also seen companies pay contractors a month’s severance for no reason whatsoever too. A lot of places don’t seem to understand what they’re doing.