On my first day of work I asked the secratery how the payment schedule worked. Her answer "Jim pays you if he feels like it." I looked at her and asked her to reiterate. She told me that I would have to ask Jim. I asked him, and he stated that the pay schedule would be every 2 weeks. *I should have followed my intuition and quit then*
This is a web design company, but on the computer that I worked on, there were not any proper design programs to be found. The computer was filled with viruses. I spent time there trying to fix and dealt with fustrations of the computer being un-workable. I was told to do some research and various other things. I also started designing from home, since my computer was set up and running perfect.
I noticed that sales people came and went and also that I was the only designer to be found in the building. I asked if the company was a franchise or if he was the owner and my questions were always left with a "we will talk about that later, I have a meeting to attend."
I worked there for 2 weeks and a total of 40 hours. On one Friday I told him that I didn't want to be an "in-house" designer anymore. I would work from home and when I finished projects I would move to the next. I asked him before if friday was payday and he had told me it was, though no paycheck was handed over. He told me his accountant would get it to me.
My friend had an interview with him on that Friday and when she came to the building the whole office was GONE! She talked to someone who owned the building and they said that Web Presence was evicted from the building and that they had a 90 day eviction notice.
I called Jim's phone and left messages. On Monday he finally called me and stated that the Owner was a liar and that he wasn't evicted... He just decided to move. (but didn't tell anyone?)
He asked me to call another client of his, but I told him that 1. I wasn't doing anything until I got a paycheck and 2. That I had to work my other job. A few days later I got an email stating that he might loose the client 'cause I promised I would call and didn't. I reiterated what I told him and he got angry. He emailed me and told me to send him all the materials I had for freelance immediatly.
I eventually sent the materials back to the companies that they belonged to, and found out that he has been ripping off many people. I have the names of 8 businesses that have paid him anywhere from 400.00 - 2,000 and have yet to see a website completed by him. I also have now names of 6 designers including myself that have never recieved payment from any of the sites they finished.
I have found that he threatened several of the designers, and he threatened myself as well. I went to the police and made a report including the "threat" email I had received. When I made the report I found that he had a photo on the page "mugshot" he must have been booked for something.
I have connections with some people in the law enforcement and one of my friends pulled up his record. He has many counts of Harrassment and Intimidation, one of Disorderly Conduct and also has a Do NOT Contact order.
I have still never been paid and I do not expect to. After doing further research I found this indiviudal does not own a car, and does not own his own home. This man is 27 years of age and claims to have experience in many fields, I checked the background and it does not substansiate the claims. This person is in the business of trying to run a legit business but missing. Some of his clients may get work done, but the majority do not for he does not pay his designers. Once they realize they are not getting paid, they drop the projects and he must find a new eager designer to work on them.
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