blog
Out of context: Reply #68130
- Started
- Last post
- 75,586 Responses
- PonyBoy0
guize... looking for some advice... (sorry for the long post)
I've been full time freelance for 15+ years. A client—my 'main' client—pushed to hire me full time. It took about 6 months to convince me but I finally gave in.
For the last 3+ years they've been paying me a nice monthly retainer of which had zero taxes etc taken out. The company brought on a new CEO who convinced me to take the job and start taking out taxes / to work in-house etc etc (his way of getting me focused on their biz / time and not mine / other clients).
For three months now they've missed my scheduled deposit. Basically since becoming an employee and this agreement w/the new CEO... I'm not paid on time.
Now that 1/3 of the money is being yanked out for taxes and I'm giving them all my time I'm finding my funds have tightened up. Given I'm on month 3 of not being paid on time and I'm down 1/3 in paid funds... I'm starting to feel it. This is beginning to feel like a really shitty decision and it's effecting my marriage.
I wrote the below note but don't want to send it because it's full of unprofessional moments that are completely on me to figure out. But the truth is I wouldn't be thinking about some of this bullshit if not for taking the job and technical 'cut in pay' due to taking out taxes at the time of payment. Chalk-up the fact I've yet to be paid on time... things have become frustrating.
I want to address this as professionally as possible but knowing this group it will go in one ear and out the other. I don't want to be dramatic about it but also don't want to play it off like it's no big deal.
I want to send something like this off to the CEO but I'm really not sure if it's the right way to go:
"Hi, ###... do you think this payroll issue will be ironed-out by next payday? This is the third month in a row money hasn’t made my account on time. I have automated payments scheduled to pay my bills etc and live very close to paycheck to paycheck like many folks (not your problem — but again — month number 3). I’m overdrawn this morning due to lack of funds and this only occurred THIS morning and will probably end up costing me over $200+ in overdraft fees as multiple items are going to build up this weekend... stupid shit like a cup of coffee from Dunkin Donuts will now cost me $37. Normally I’d chalk it up to bad accounting on my part but this is month number 3 of money not being in my account on time. Also—Now that 1/3 of my money goes directly to Uncle Sam each check and I no longer control how my taxes are paid I’m left with... well... 1/3 less money each month. That’s a lot to adjust to. Please let me know if I need to adjust further (stop depending on the 1st & 15th) or if this is going to finally get ironed out... I don’t have the money to cover these costs now that I’m 1/3 down in funds. Not to be overly dramatic... but this has put me in a really tight spot w/one bill collector in particular... not to mention the strain on my marriage. Again... third month in a row... please help!"
No... I haven't sent that. It's how I feel but the personal accounting shit should be completely left out if I'm going to be 'professional' about this.
...just really frustrating... I perform on time and keep them 'looking good' but can't pay my own bills on time even though supposedly we have an automated pay arrangement. I'm overdrawn and sitting in my underwear... thank God my wife's job doesn't treat her like shit... she actually got paid last night.
- No details, No explanations why you need money. Fair and clear business. If something isn't works the way like agreed talk about that.sted
- totally, sted... fuck... I'm just emotional right now... -must -calm -down :)PonyBoy
- Just send this: "Hey CEO - you haven't paid on time for 3 months. Why? Log into the company bank account straight after you read this and transfer my pay."shapesalad
- Anyhow, I got away with an email like that at my second workplace. I had luck that my CEO understood what an idiot am I sometimes.sted
- "And make sure you pay me on time next month - or would you prefer if I arrive late for work and miss deadlines?"shapesalad
- I agree with sted, no money details. stick with the first two sentences, clear and direct. end it with "gimme my monies betch" ;Psea_sea
- Never justify why you need to be paid. it's a business agreement. Give him notice asap, give them the opportunity to rectify, If they can't fulfill their end..plash
- time took over that employment agreement and lawyer up.plash
- https://www.youtube.…_niko
- Well...Make it extremely profesional, and as a plan B look for another job.Maaku
- your freelance rate should not have been the same as your full-time rate. perhaps this is the time to address that inequity as well. up itGnash
- The only benefit of going inhouse is security of payment, and increased income.Gnash
- You're giving up other paying clients, freedom of work hours (such that it is in freelance), and general autonomyGnash
- Explain that since the benefit to you hasn't materialized that perhaps it makes sense to back to the previous arrangementGnash
- unless they can offer some compelling assurances that moving forward you be paid more and on time.Gnash
- What sted sed. No details. Nothing personal. No rhetorical questions. Pure business is the only angle. As a professional, you require payment on time. Period.monospaced
- Have you been in contact with the accounting/bills payable dept? CEO obviously isn't too concerned with paying bills so perhaps loop in accounting in group...bezoar
- ...meeting if you haven't alreadybezoar
- That too. Leave the ceo out of it. This is payroll dept. ;)monospaced
- that's right, simple request to modify the payout schedule. If you already escalated the situation with the CEO just tell him that you would work +2h/w free :Dsted
- Take out a $10k loan. Cash it out. Put in a briefcase. Walk into ceo's office. Open case. Tell him "I think you need this, you're having trouble paying me."shapesalad
- Yeah don't send that note unless you plan on quitting (and even then don't send it). Try to get in touch with the person directly responsible for approving theyuekit
- payment and figure out what their problem is. Also why would you be forced to take out taxes at a certain rate? Isn't that up to the employee?yuekit
- I've been paid late only in a pair of times when inhouse, and always talked in person with my boss... Then, they gave me a explaination and get paid in dateOBBTKN
- Talk in person with him/her, be polite, remember the times when you were freelancing and how hard was to get paid sometimes, be cool and they'll tell you...OBBTKN
- why the late payments, then decide if you want to continue working for them or start working on a plan B, good luck my friend!OBBTKN
- Write with no emotion and directly to the point. Give them a few days to respond then lodge a complaint. Always be polite. Look for small freelance work thatmugwart
- you can help get you back out of the red.
Look for new full time work.
If they haven't paid go through courts.mugwart - Good luck - money problems create the worst kind of mental health (I suffer as well). Put that and your wife first. No Job is worth the love you two have.mugwart
- What is most infuriating about these moments is the total lack of empathy... like it would probably take them 10 seconds to fix the issue.yuekit
- I like how you think working freelance gives you the right to not pay taxes lolHayoth
- Who said anything about not paying taxes? I still pay on a quarterly schedule, Dorkoth.PonyBoy
- "fool me once...", why not go back to being a freelancer?sofas
- Stop at the 2nd sentence. CEO won’t even read past that.noRGB
- I agree with being simple and not going into detail why you need the money. There is not reason to justify this. Tell them you need the money NOW!eryx
- It's a small CO, guys... maybe 20 of us. I report directly to the CEO (not the owner anymore). He runs payroll (we have no HR / payroll dept)...PonyBoy
- ... this CO went from 3 to about 30 people in 9 months. Major growing pains. CEO hit me up... money was in my account late last night... all fixed. :)PonyBoy
- ... didn't even have to send a letter / say a word. Right around the time I posted this Friday he sent a company-wide 'apology'. I'll hang in there a bit. :)PonyBoy
- 20=30 (first note)PonyBoy
- Sweet! Nice it when mistakes were made and they were brave enough to admit itmugwart