This is the third installment of my ongoing Small Claims Court Experience...
In my last blog entry on this topic I mentioned how, a week ago, I was about to head out and officially file the necessary paperwork when, walking out the door, I got a call from a fellow trainer's father who was a lawyer and gathering information to take this company to superior court. Additionally, I managed to get ahold of some email addresses of past instructors, and sent out an email blast asking if any of them were in my position. Sadly, I have since received news that an additional six instructors have done work three to nine months ago and have yet to be paid a dime or given an ounce of explanation other than the standard run-around.
Having wrapped up a project yesterday, today I had a free hour to actually head down to the city's offices and formally file the claim. Thanks to suggestions in earlier blog entry comments and IMs/emails, I decided it wouldn't hurt to stop by this company's office with the paperwork in hand and give them one last chance to pay up before I filled the paperwork.
Unfortunately upon arriving the owner of the company, and the person I've been dealing with since the account became delinquent, wasn't in the office. Instead, another lady helped me. She explained that they had recently received a large check that was long overdue and had sent out partial payments to the instructors that they owed. She said the checks were mailed out yesterday so I should be receiving them any day now, and that the other half would be coming soon after. I huffed and puffed a little, letting her know how unprofessional her company was behaving and so on.
In the end, I didn't file the paperwork. I decided, instead, to wait til the end of the week to see if, miraculously, a partial payment does arrive. I think I may be being a bit to naive, taking this company's word at face value. After all, as this person was explaining the situation to me it felt like I was listening to a pitch to buy some excellent real estate in Florida as an investment that will pay for itself ten times over. I mean, if they had gotten this big check and were going to pay me, even a partial payment, wouldn't they email or call me to update me on the status?
The new and final deadline, then, is Friday - no check by then, and I'm heading in to file the paperwork on Tuesday the 5th. I hope there is a partial payment in the mail... I don't want to go to court, I just want what's owed me to be paid. Even if there is payment working its way through the mail system as I type this, though, this company needs to learn how to better communicate with those it owes money. Not returning phone calls or answering emails, not providing those you are indebted to with any information as to the status of forthcoming payment, even if it's partial, is not acceptable.
Meh.
A complete list of blog entries related to this topic can be found at My Small Claims Court Experience and through Going Independent category. Your feedback is most welcome - please leave a comment or drop me a line.