MetaChat - OMFGaaaaaaah!!!!

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02 April 2008

OMFGaaaaaaah!!!! (Ranty rant inside.)→[More:]

So, I've finished my last project for my former bosses, and I sent an invoice to my immediate boss two weeks ago. In the email, I stressed that I was hoping to get paid by rent-paying time (i.e., now). The university often takes a long time to cut checks, so I figured the two-week lead-in would be enough time. She sent the invoice to the university that same day, and apologized that she had to wait for the check from them -- said she was broke and needed their money before she could pay me.

Two weeks has passed, no check. (And I'm flat broke -- I've spent the money in my change jar and everything. Had to ask the gf to buy food for my hungry cats.)

I emailed her yesterday to follow up. She responded today that, sorry, she hadn't heard from the university yet, that they've been really slow lately, and that she'd let me know when she knew anything.

That's not really working for me, so I called the woman she worked for at the Uni. (She's a friend of mine.) Asked her to follow up with accounting and hurry the check up.

Her response: "What check? We overpaid B___ [my boss] by $4,000, and our agreement was that she'd pay you out of that money."

Me: Silence.

So either someone's lying, or there was a gross miscommunication, or they're still playing cat-and-dog with each other. The upshot is that mudpuppie is broke and needs to pay rent and is really fucking pissed off and frustrated and bumfuzzled.

But one good thing came out of the conversation: Turns out that the job I applied for yesterday -- the company is owned by the husband of a woman I used to work with, and she once wrote me a letter of recommendation. She might not remember me, but if she does, that should be a good thing.

But still. SMASH SMASH SMASH!!!

post by: mudpuppie at: 15:20 | 19 comments

Wow. That's seven different kinds of fucked up. I'm sorry you're having to go through this, pup. I'd say it's time to call former boss and find out what's really going on. And I will be psychicly sending you vengeance-on-evil-fuckwad vibes from up North.

posted by bmarkey 02 April | 15:31

That sucks. I'm so sorry.

I am also glaring in their general direction. (I think. My sense of geography's not always very good.)

Can you send another invoice? With a big "SECOND NOTICE" on the top? Is that horribly passive-aggressive?

posted by occhiblu 02 April | 15:46

Ugh! What a scuzzball! Sorry pups!

posted by small_ruminant 02 April | 15:47

Oh geez. That's unspeakable. SMASH!

posted by rainbaby 02 April | 15:49

Man that'd definitely get a CRUSH KILL DESTROY response from me.

posted by CitrusFreak12 02 April | 16:27

I second your CRUSH KILL DESTROY and raise you an ass whoopin for your immediate boss.

posted by sperose 02 April | 16:30

I'm a good little shin kicker if you want assistance for the ass whoopin.

posted by Specklet 02 April | 16:37

"What check? We overpaid B___ [my boss] by $4,000, and our agreement was that she'd pay you out of that money."

see, I would find some way to directly relay that sentence right there to Boss Lady, and put her right on the spot. I don't do passive-aggressive buckpassy BS like that well. It seems a rampant disease in academia, which is why for the record I no longer work at [LocalBigUni] and am doing far better at [GlobalGiantPharma]. I know, I know, you're working on getting a new job, and that doesn't solve feeding the cats, but still.

of course, my lack of tolerance for bullshit is likely why I've spent my life as a contractor / temp...

I'll team up with bmarkey, occhi, s_r, rainbaby, sperose, Specks and CF and we'll form a big old ass-whompin, shin-kicky conga line.

posted by lonefrontranger 02 April | 16:43

] ouch [

posted by Ardiril 02 April | 16:48

If this is still an issue in June, I would be glad to drop off a bag of groceries.

posted by danf 02 April | 16:49

That really sucks, pup. I would relay the message you got from the Uni also. Well, I say I would. Actually doing it might be difficult. You are entitled to your money and straight answers. Good luck.

posted by LoriFLA 02 April | 16:52

I'd do it and not think twice- I'd go in assuming that she just hadn't checked her bank account or that the check hadn't arrived... it never occurs to me that people are lying, which is probably why I don't do so well diplomatically speaking.

posted by small_ruminant 02 April | 17:11

See, I'm trying to keep good relationships with both of them, and I don't want to get in the middle of their little spat (even though they've firmly placed me in the middle), so I'm not telling B____ that S____ mentioned their arrangement. I'm letting S____'s staff handle the negotiations.

And apparently, the university has just mailed a check to B_____, so I'll hopefully be getting paid in a couple days.

At least this is the last of it. I've had too many close rent-paying calls with these two. I'm ready for something more reliable.

posted by mudpuppie 02 April | 17:15

WHat a damn drag, pupp, that does suck! 2 weeks is plenty of time. I do some work for one of the universities here and they've fucked up my payment more than once. Like you, I wanted to keep a good relationship b/c it's good money when it does come. I have to hand hold them every time I invoice them, but things have been going well for the most part despite fuck ups.

posted by chewatadistance 02 April | 19:06

I, too, will kick ass and shins if necessary! Getting your $$ is the hardest part of being a freelancer. I swear, half the time I think my clients are just hoping I'll forget about getting paid.

posted by jrossi4r 02 April | 20:19

Crappity crapfuck. I've got me some wicked shitkicker boots that I've been aching to pull out for just such a deserving occasion. Lemme know if I can join the conga line of pain.

posted by elizard 02 April | 20:20

Well that bites.
Not the boot conga line.//

I don't understand why you'd bill your current boss for work you did for the previous one. Has there been a change of order here¿

In any case, it's tough to have to beg for your invoice owing.

I'd ask your new Boss directly, in a by the by kind of way, 'Have you my cheque I invoiced Boss Former¿ It's been x weeks since I sent it and I'd like to pick it up now if you don't mind' — or something to that nature.
Keeping good relationships with both of them has nothing to do with being paid for your work in a prompt and efficient manner [if they are interested in keeping the good relationship up with you].

Hope it arrives soon then./

I have a little clause next to my 'amount due' stating that a 3% per month fee will be added to overdue invoices.

Of course it means they have 30 days to withhold, but that 2nd invoice does include the late fee and gets sent out. Then I make a phone call to see what's up. Then I go to court.
I have won that 3% per month fee — after a year that the case came up and they paid it in full, including court costs.

One doesn't have to rattle the sabre until necessary, but in business, that is the bottom line — pay me in the time we discussed payments would be made, otherwise, I may think you're avoiding your obligation, after all, you've made your commitment to them.

posted by alicesshoe 02 April | 23:07

Wow this sux.

And adding to what alicesshoe says around here you can go to small claims court for up to $10,000 and it is low cast and fast and you can represent yourself.

posted by arse_hat 02 April | 23:18

low COST

posted by arse_hat 02 April | 23:31

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