This is why, as a contractor, you never, never, ever transfer source materials until the bill has been paid.
If a company insists on working inside their version control system, insist that each biweekly payment be submitted in advance.
Ask HN: Is there a bad employers (who have a records of not paying) list?
31–40 of 70 posts
Re: Ask HN: Is there a bad employers (who have a records of not paying) list?
#32Yes. It's called a "union". They were discovered around the turn of the 20th century, caused the greatest increase in prosperity and wealth for the greatest number of people of any idea in history but then we decided we were collectively too smart for all that so we're inexorably inching our way back towards children suffering in dangerous conditions to enrich a few warlords (and no, they won't pay you on time).
And when those "union" bosses run off with the pension fund, who do you call? Or when they insist on the dues and then use them for something else?
Re: Ask HN: Is there a bad employers (who have a records of not paying) list?
#33This is why, as a contractor, you never, never, ever transfer source materials until the bill has been paid. If a company insists on working inside their version control system, insist that each biweekly payment be submitted in advance.
Early in my career, when I was dealing more with bottom-tier customers, the first 3 companies tried to stiff me.
They were all surprised to learn that they couldn't do much without the source material that they never paid for.
One of them was very surprised when the website flipped to a white screen on a Monday morning at 9am.
They called asking why "THEIR" website was blank.
I explained that they didn't own any websites, as no money was exchanged.
If they would like me to transfer MY website to them, all they needed to do, was submit payment, along with late fees.
The money hit my account within the hour and they owned a website a few minutes after that.
Re: Ask HN: Is there a bad employers (who have a records of not paying) list?
#34Make it. I’ll add a few.
These YC founders are not held accountable for their ridiculous behavior
Re: Ask HN: Is there a bad employers (who have a records of not paying) list?
#35Yes. It's called a "union". They were discovered around the turn of the 20th century, caused the greatest increase in prosperity and wealth for the greatest number of people of any idea in history but then we decided we were collectively too smart for all that so we're inexorably inching our way back towards children suffering in dangerous conditions to enrich a few warlords (and no, they won't pay you on time).
And when those "union" bosses run off with the pension fund, who do you call? Or when they insist on the dues and then use them for something else?
A lawyer? That’s pretty obvious.
It’s what you do when anyone is in breach of contract or some other civil matter. You just sue them.
If it’s a criminal fraud, there’s other people who will help, we call those the authorities.
Re: Ask HN: Is there a bad employers (who have a records of not paying) list?
#36Yes. It's called a "union". They were discovered around the turn of the 20th century, caused the greatest increase in prosperity and wealth for the greatest number of people of any idea in history but then we decided we were collectively too smart for all that so we're inexorably inching our way back towards children suffering in dangerous conditions to enrich a few warlords (and no, they won't pay you on time).
And when those "union" bosses run off with the pension fund, who do you call? Or when they insist on the dues and then use them for something else?
The police? Like you would call fir any crime. The union boss is also elected, so you don't vote for people that would do that. You have a lot more power/leverage in that situation than a CEO laying you off right before your options cliff, despite what the people funding whisper/fear campaigns and their shills in the media are desperate to convince you of. Point me to one example of a union boss stealing pensions and I'll bring you 100 cases of CEXs doing worse with no recourse for the victims.
Re: Ask HN: Is there a bad employers (who have a records of not paying) list?
#37Yes. It's called a "union". They were discovered around the turn of the 20th century, caused the greatest increase in prosperity and wealth for the greatest number of people of any idea in history but then we decided we were collectively too smart for all that so we're inexorably inching our way back towards children suffering in dangerous conditions to enrich a few warlords (and no, they won't pay you on time).
And when those "union" bosses run off with the pension fund, who do you call? Or when they insist on the dues and then use them for something else?
What's the frequency of this happening in modern times and what are the recourses we've set in place? Are there any forms of recourse that you'd recommend be added? And what representatives are running on such platforms to add those forms of recourse for workers?
Or are you just fear mongering about unions?
Re: Ask HN: Is there a bad employers (who have a records of not paying) list?
#38I worked for one such employer long ago that would “accidentally” bounce paychecks. This happened with such regularity that people would take their checks to said employer’s bank on payday and stand in line to cash them before heading to the office. You’d see a couple of coworkers in line to do this. Maintaining a list like this is probably not super useful. Any company that does this kind of stuff as a routine will…
I used to work for a tiny company where probably just due to lack of cash (and/or failure to properly manage the payroll account) this was also an issue. We'd be given our paychecks in the morning and go to the bank at lunchtime to cash them!
Re: Ask HN: Is there a bad employers (who have a records of not paying) list?
#39Earlier quoted context omitted.
And when those "union" bosses run off with the pension fund, who do you call? Or when they insist on the dues and then use them for something else?
The police? Like you would call fir any crime. The union boss is also elected, so you don't vote for people that would do that. You have a lot more power/leverage in that situation than a CEO laying you off right before your options cliff, despite what the people funding whisper/fear campaigns and their shills in the media are desperate to convince you of. Point me to one example of a union boss stealing pensions and…
Money is gone by the time police comes
Re: Ask HN: Is there a bad employers (who have a records of not paying) list?
#40I worked for one such employer long ago that would “accidentally” bounce paychecks. This happened with such regularity that people would take their checks to said employer’s bank on payday and stand in line to cash them before heading to the office. You’d see a couple of coworkers in line to do this. Maintaining a list like this is probably not super useful. Any company that does this kind of stuff as a routine will…
There first error was paying people. In a past life i worked in the entertainment industry. I was daily shocked by the number of non-employee "staff" positions that were unpaid. Students working a summer for "experience" came back a second summer as managers, then never left. A couple became supervisors of paid staff. Consumers would be shocked at how much profesional animation and cgi work is actually done by unpaid interns. Your favorite youtube channel? Dig into what an "association" with a local college actually means for thier bottom line.
I also met convicts doing "volunteer" work which did not pay but satisfied some aspect of thier parole. And with small businesses, there was of course the many children of business owners who were "helping out mom and dad", often as unpaid managers, in hopes of one day inheriting the business.