Today, marks the third month that I have not received payment for work I did on web pages for a hospital chain. They owe me over $1,000. It will cost twice that to get a lawyer to force them to pay me what I'm owed. FML
Collection
Thanksgiving
Questions about your love life, a burnt turkey and the cousin who knows everything: Thanksgiving, a contact sport.
Today, my work informed me that they didn't process my pay in time, so I won't get paid until the end of next month. I have less than £10 to last me until then. FML
Today, I pointed out to my manager that I haven’t been paid for my first month's work. They told me my paperwork had been misplaced, so I hadn’t actually been hired yet. So I just worked a full month for free. Oh, and apparently they’re not legally obligated to pay me, so I’m not getting paid. FML
Today, I woke up feeling out of step with life. Work owes me money for 6 months-worth of projects I did. I collected loans to take care of my sick dad and manage myself, and now my bosses are refusing to pay what they owe, so my account balance is blank. FML
Today, I found out that my employers apparently haven't been taking enough money out of my paychecks, and now I owe thousands of dollars in taxes. I already live paycheck to paycheck despite doing nothing but work. FML
Today, my ex-boss still owes me almost 900€. I just paid another 150€ to have a lawyer tell me that, yes, the law is clearly on my side but no, I will most likely not win in court because I don't have hard proof. I just paid money to be told I won't be getting the money I'm owed. FML
Today, I'm working in China and I had to explain to my boss that no, it's not okay to not pay me for 3 months. FML
Today, my boss told me I was fired 3 weeks ago because there's no money to pay me, meaning that I worked the last three weeks for free. FML
Today, I received an almost $400 bill for Internet services I don't even have. When I called and talk to them they told me I still owe them $77 because I didn't catch it within 3 months. FML
Today, my lawyer threatened to sue me because I can't afford his bill, which he sent to me after getting me out of a lawsuit. FML
Today, and for the third time this week, my bank manager called me to tell me that my account is still overdrawn. He doesn't seem to understand that my wages always get paid at the end of the month. FML
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Top comments
Druu 53
That's a bit of an exaggeration. You can probably get an attorney to knock out a demand letter for a lot cheaper than that. (I'll keep thinking on it, but I don't think I know anyone barred in PA.) Alternatively, you write a demand letter yourself based on online templates, then take the case to small claims court where you will not need an attorney to represent you. Google "Pennsylvania small claims court" without the quotation marks and go to the top result.
Charlie Coffman 14
if you take them to small claims court and you win, then the hospital has to pay your attorneys fees
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Comments (25)
KrDizzy 16
Take them to Judge Judy and let me know when your episode airs lol. You don't need lawyers on that show, anyway lol.
karst 4
The court shows just take over active court cases. The search the court dockets and find cases that they are interested in. The then will send both parties letters asking if the are interested in closing the active court case and have it on the show instead. Both parties have to agree and neither one knows what the other said.
tayloraarongreen 4
you did the work, and they didnt pay, you could always un-do what you did, what im saying is **** up their website
Kaili McCoy 6
I have this problem occasionally. Unfortunately, as a freelancer some people feel the work isn't worth paying for, or they didn't like it but won't speak up etc. I don't recommend holding their page hostage or altering. You may get your money but you'll damage your reputation. I suggest getting a junior lawyer in a "pay if you win" firm to send a letter. See if you win. I would also update your contract. I'm a 7 day after invoice company and I bill first of the month. Every 7 working days a reminder goes out and at 14 days for non-payment, their account is suspended and I won't work on anything until I get paid. All new accounts pay a 30% deposit that gets deducted from the invoice, so if they don't pay, I'm not out much. Finally, you may just have to write it off. Some people are shit. As long as you can use the work in your portfolio you still win. Perhaps they will pay. Most hospitals seem to run on 90 day accounts.
kelardy 11
It's called small claims court. You shouldn't even Need a lawyer for that. Just show up with the proof that you did the work for the hospital. If I was you I'd add on interest for the months they've not paid you for already as hospitals do when someone misses paying a bill for the hospital.
Zachary Jordan 5
if you file in a small claims court and do conversion which means that some one is withholding something that is yours you can receive up to 3x the amount owed
CeCe184 17
It's worth it. It's the principle of the matter.
jadums 5
You can sue for legal fees. Why'd you give product without payment? Do you control domain name? Change password
LordChalis 5
What is Ironic is that you think you are only owed $1000. Late fees, Unauthorized use of intellectual property. (Because the authorization for use is the receipt or invoice for the work.) Plus, any incentives for them being in breech of contract. You are looking at 10's of $K's or more if properly litigated. I would get advice from a contract lawyer.
Cody West 3
That's why you get your payment before you give them their content.
skyskraper 3
You should look into Legal Shield. My family all has it so we have 24/7 access to a lawyer no matter what. What we pay to have access to basically an entire law firm (Kivel and Howard) for one year is what someone would pay to speak to a lawyer for one hour. I was just in a car accident on Monday and immediately afterwards I called Legal Shield and a lawyer that specialized in car accidents called me back within the hour. Pretty sweet. Makes me feel so powerful lol