What To Do When Your Company Backstabs You?

[arfink]

I'm seriously considering jumping ship here. This whole mess sounds a little like something you'd see on TV or in a movie, not something that would actually happen to a real person. But I assure you it's real, and I've about had enough.

I started work for a small company that does instructional design about a month ago. I was hired as a proofreader. I was told I'd be hired as a contractor, given roughly 40 hours of work a month, and be paid $10 an hour. For the first couple of days this seemed to be the case.

Only the job seemed a bit odd to me right from the beginning. I was a "contractor," but no contract was signed by either party. I was paid for my work of course, and so it all seemed legit. I just shrugged it off as a strange anomaly of a tiny business being run by out-of-work PHDs working out of their bedrooms. Oh, and my boss found out I was a relatively skilled computer graphics artist, and decided he'd like to use my skills, which at the time I was very happy to do. No big deal, right?

Wrong. After receiving my first paycheck I was informed that I shouldn't be logging my hours, because they were just going to assume I'd done 40 a month. I would be paid a flat fee of $400 a month for my work. And oh, by the way? Here's a very long list of the things we need to see getting done here, and if you go over budget it's on your time, not ours.

The past month has been filled with last-second "fire drill" projects which come careening into my time like some kind of derailed high speed train. I'd get half-panicked phone calls that would start with some outrageous request, followed by me (stupidly) agreeing to help out, followed by acclimation that I was their little "graphic designer that could." I had been told by my boss he thought I was really great. I know the reason I said yes was because I do enjoy the affirmation that I am useful, that someone appreciates my skill. And yet the whole thing has kinda been spiralling out of control.

I've already come to realize that I will be expected to:
a) provide high quality work for far less than any graphic designer is ever paid for
b) do this with extremely tight turnaround at a moments notice
c) be required to do more than my "budgeted" hourly wage in order to get the expected work done
d) and I will be expected to put up with the emotional and organizational turmoil of a company that is highly disorganized and manipulative towards their contractors.

I'm quite worried. I don't have any kind of contract on paper with these guys. All I have is all of our email correspondence (which I have kept all of, by the way). If I decide to just jump ship on them I am concerned I will not be paid for my work in the month of July, and yet I am also concerned that if I stay this job will continue to be more and more destructive to me.

A wonderfully abusive situation, indeed. At this point I'm about ready to just say "Screw the $400 for the month dude, just get me out of here!" Any of the pham care to offer advice?

[MIKolbe]

The best time to find a job is when you already have one.

[arfink]

[quote name='MIkolbe' timestamp='1343348962' post='2459167']
The best time to find a job is when you already have one.
[/quote]

I got three right now, including this one.

[carmenchristi]

Well... the month is almost over, so if you are concerned about not getting paid, don't tell them you are jumping ship until you get your check. Giving prior notice isn't important here. If they still don't pay you at the end of the month, tell them you aren't doing any more work for them until you get paid... then quit after they pay you. At least that's what I'd do in the situation you described.

[xTrishaxLynnx]

I'd be willing to bet you'll get your $400 because they won't want trouble, especially if they're already struggling. And if you let them know you're not interested in being taken advantage of and you'd rather leave than agree to give them your time for free, they may rethink things. Then again, maybe they'll just say "okay" and move on, but you will have at least tried and as you already seem to be planning to leave anyway, you've got nothing to lose really. You could also do this after you get paid for this month, unless they've got you in a position where you'll definitely go over 40 hours in the next 4 days.

[BigJon16]

I might know a guy... He, ah, "specializes" in making people, ah, disappear. Kinda like one of them illusionists,,,yeah, he's an illusionist..

Edited July 27, 2012 by BigJon16

[Mark of the Cross]

$10 an hour? I thought slavery was illegal in the US?

[arfink]

[quote name='Mark of the Cross' timestamp='1343350152' post='2459174']
$10 an hour? I thought slavery was illegal in the US?
[/quote]

Go figure. Anybody want to hire me?

[Anomaly]

Srsly, toughen up, cupcake. That's business and i and most adults i know have dealt with it for decades. It ain't gonna kill you in the first twenty years.

You are gaining experience, honing skills, and beefing up your resume. I'm sure you have bills to pay, it's a paying gig.

If you can find better employment, that's great, but not if you think you are leaving an untenable situation. There's a lot of perceived negatives if you don't stay at a job very long. There is no positive spin you can put on quitting a sucky job during an interview.

Like Micah said, it's better to find a job when you're working. It's got to be about you getting a job that has more responsibility, more challenging, or a better fit for your talents or aspirations.

[ardillacid]

[quote name='Anomaly' timestamp='1343351639' post='2459181']


Like Micah said,
[/quote]WAT

[BG45]

[quote name='Mark of the Cross' timestamp='1343350152' post='2459174']
$10 an hour? I thought slavery was illegal in the US?
[/quote]

Better than I've ever been paid in the US.

[arfink]

[quote name='Anomaly' timestamp='1343351639' post='2459181']
Srsly, toughen up, cupcake. That's business and i and most adults i know have dealt with it for decades. It ain't gonna kill you in the first twenty years.

You are gaining experience, honing skills, and beefing up your resume. I'm sure you have bills to pay, it's a paying gig.

If you can find better employment, that's great, but not if you think you are leaving an untenable situation. There's a lot of perceived negatives if you don't stay at a job very long. There is no positive spin you can put on quitting a sucky job during an interview.

Like Micah said, it's better to find a job when you're working. It's got to be about you getting a job that has more responsibility, more challenging, or a better fit for your talents or aspirations.
[/quote]

I am working 3 jobs right now. I don't think you caught that bit friend.

If I didn't have two other jobs on the side I'd be keeping this one. I should have mentioned that above. The "fire drill" thing gets to be genuinely impossible when you also have 2 other jobs.

I work in a grocery store that can treat it's people better than that. Also, why is it that I need to "spin" quitting this job? I don't get it. I'd rather quit a sucky job than be fired or be stuck, and I am definitely not sticking around to be "let go." Honestly, IDGI.

Edited July 27, 2012 by arfink

[hotpink]

You weren't backstabbed. Backstabbing involves going back on a promise. They didn't promise you a stress free graphic arts job, but 40 hours a month as a proofreader.

[quote]a) provide high quality work for far less than any graphic designer is ever paid for[/quote]

Interns are free and can do great work. Graphic art can also be outsourced...you're getting WAY ahead of yourself.

[quote]b) do this with extremely tight turnaround at a moments notice[/quote]

Deadlines. We all have them.
[quote]


c) be required to do more than my "budgeted" hourly wage in order to get the expected work done
[/quote]

Have you actually had the conversation of what/when/where/who?
[quote]
d) and I will be expected to put up with the emotional and organizational turmoil of a company that is highly disorganized and manipulative towards their contractors.[/quote]

Thats life. If you want to serve soup to kittens go to the ASPCA. Otherwise disorginization is part of life.

[Jaime]

[quote name='arfink' timestamp='1343353945' post='2459192']
I am working 3 jobs right now. I don't think you caught that bit friend.

If I didn't have two other jobs on the side I'd be keeping this one. I should have mentioned that above. The "fire drill" thing gets to be genuinely impossible when you also have 2 other jobs.

I work in a grocery store that can treat it's people better than that. Also, why is it that I need to "spin" quitting this job? I don't get it. I'd rather quit a sucky job than be fired or be stuck, and I am definitely not sticking around to be "let go." Honestly, IDGI.
[/quote]


Anomaly is probably reacting to the dramatic description of what's going on. He's old, cantankerous and uses phrases like "back in my day" a lot. I would pay him no mind at all except that he's probably more right than you want to believe.

If you think you're getting screwed. Tell your boss "This is what I got done in the 10 hours this week. I'd like to get more done for you if you can afford to give me more hours." if (s)he says no, then stop working if you want.

[Basilisa Marie]

It sounds like they started you as an hourly employee and turned you into a salaried employee. While I think it was a mistake to start the job without any kind of contract, if you want to keep the job I'd demand some kind of agreement be drawn up that both of you sign. It's never too late to get that started. Clearly the job is no longer what they initially hired you for. If you decide to draw up an agreement, include something about how much notice you'll need for a project. From what I'm reading in your OP, it's not the fact that they have a laundry list for you that bothers you, but that they keep adding things last minute. You have a right to a life, and they don't have the right to monopolize it. And I'd mention something about how if they really want you to be a graphic designer and not a proofreader, you need a salary that's a bit more comparable to a graphic designer. If they truly value your work like they keep saying they do, they should put their money where their mouth is.

As hard as it is, ignore the praise they give you. It's toxic, and clouding your vision to the reality of the situation, which is their true intention in giving it. You work is probably excellent, like they say, but they're not really praising you because you're amesome, but to make up for the fact that they're jerks and using you. If they truly value you, they'll be willing to draw up an agreement and negotiate your salary and advance notice.

There's absolutely no need to "toughen up" or whatever. The mature and professional decisions would be to quit or get some kind of on-paper, signed by you and your boss contract drawn up. There's nothing wrong with sticking up for yourself.

But if you'd rather not deal with a contract, or you think it's not worth it, I'd wait until your July paycheck and quit. You have two jobs already.