What would you do?

[Rita86]

During the summer holidays i decided to look for a summer student job, without telling me my dad had kind of offered my services to a former colleague of his who would be organising a prestigious one week congress. My dad urged me to send my application as he was sure i would get the job + get paid good money.

 

I got the job pretty quickly as they needed someone that was fluent in english. I worked with them weeks before the congress as they needed someone to do a brochure for them, and during the congres i worked from 8 am to 7pm. I did most of the job as most of the people taking part in the congress were foreigners who mostly spoke english only, so i was the only one who could guide them.

This former colleague of my dad had also hired two of his nephews and his nephews' friends who were supposed to help me out but They spent the majority of the time smoking

The other issue is, i never signed a contract. Now that the congress is over i procréées to contact my employee concerning my salary. They have yet to reply to me it's been two weeks

 

I also contacted one of his nephew's friend on fb & asked him if he had been paid and he told me he had and even seemed surprised that I hadn't already as he also acknowledged i did all the work.

 

At this stage I'm starting to believe i will never get paid. I wanted to contact

my employee by phone but my dad believes that is not the right thing to do.

 

I feel incredibly taken advantage of and it's depressing to see that my colleagues got paid and i didn't.

 

My question is what Should I do now? I desperately want to contact my

employees again.

 

Thanks for reading & Hopefully it wasn't too long. And sorry for any typos. I'm writing from my iphone

[CarrieT]

You didn't discuss compensation before doing the job?

 

You walked into with your eyes open and did the work without verifying what you would be paid; I would chalk it up to a learning experience that you will never do again.

 

Yes, you were taken advantage of, but you let them take advantage of you without getting an agreement in writing before doing the work. You are just as culpable and have no one to blame but yourself.

[sm1tten]

I don't understand why your father would not want you to contact your employer to find out why you haven't yet been compensated. You should do so. In writing and via phone, methinks.

 

In the future, don't take a job without a contract and discussion of when and how much you will be paid for what work.

[spiderowl]

I can see absolutely nothing wrong with contacting your employer - you have done the job and you deserve to get paid. I would 'phone them and mention that you haven't received your salary yet and you wondered if the accounts department had your correct bank details. At that point, if they were not intending to pay you, someone should say so. I would then point out that you had undertaken the job on the understanding you would be paid and you are shocked to hear this. They may then decide there has been a misunderstanding and that maybe they ought to pay you, given that you did all that work. If they stick to their guns and say they aren't going to pay, talk to your father. If he negotiated this for you, what arrangements did he agree to about being paid? What is he planning to do now that you are not being paid? I think your father has some questions to answer here, as he arranged this, though in future you need to make sure you get a written contract and details of the pay you can expect.

[Rita86]

Thanks all for your answers

You're all right i've learned a big lessson and at least it was a good experience that looks good on my CV

 

The reason why i didn't sing a contract was because this man pretty much hired his family & friends so no one was really required to sign anything.

 

The small update is that i ended up not contacting my employee but my dad recently talked with him on the phone (for matters unrelated) and took the opportunity to ask about my situation. My employer told him he would take care of it in the upcoming weeks.

 

However i don't feel i can trust his word because i have just found out that this man already owes my dad quite a lot of money. I'm baffled at how my dad still thinks he is in any way trustworthy.

 

I have really learned a big lesson.

[2sure]

You need to contact your former employer in writing inquiring as to when you will be paid and also to request a letter of recommendation.