Merlin Orr Posted August 16, 2004 Share Posted August 16, 2004 My main employer is resorting to extortion in an attempt to prevent me from taking a new assignment. After working 90% of the past 20 years with the same company my present boss has told me that if I leave my assignment here to go to another (for the same company) he will reassign my ongoing work to someone else and I will be unable to collect for any work not completed that I have done to date. As I handle complex files/assignments some of my files may take months to close. These same files also have huge amounts of time invested in them before they are settled. Instead of allowing me to keep doing the few hours a month of work it takes to maintain the work his position is that if I leave - I am screwed. SO - it has suddenly come to the point of either leaving several months of work on the table or just sitting on my ass and waiting waiting waiting for the old work I have to conclude. As an independent contractor the decisions I make mean keeping my bills current or living on credit cards! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nik Habicht Posted August 16, 2004 Share Posted August 16, 2004 Merlin, I think there's only one answer to extortion --- don't give in. That doesn't necessarily mean walking without getting paid either, consider all your options... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted August 16, 2004 Share Posted August 16, 2004 Reminds me of a $17,000 lesson I learned a while back. (FWIW, I'd still tell the SOB's where to stick their $17K and walk.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidwiz Posted August 16, 2004 Share Posted August 16, 2004 Document everything. If the company has one, consult with human resources or consult with someone more senior in the company. If all else fails, consult w/ an employment law attorney - your local county bar association should have a no or low cost referral service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liota Posted August 17, 2004 Share Posted August 17, 2004 Read your contract. Look for any details in your favor. It may have the answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackdragon Posted August 17, 2004 Share Posted August 17, 2004 One day I came home, tired of all the C!@#. I told my wife and she looked at me and said quit. I did and now I get paid to shoot. Yea it took a year and some credit card debt but now I have my dream job! Some call it a mid life crisis I call it " I'm done taking your s@#!. Ivan SCS Vegas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted August 17, 2004 Share Posted August 17, 2004 Merlin-- DO look carefully into this situation for legal leverage and such. Surely there is something buried in this situation that protects you. Consult a legal outside source as well. I quit my silly little office job in April not entirely because I was doing almost nothing in the office each day but, in addition, because of a betrayal that occurred underneath it all. I just said to myself, "...enough is enough!!!" The situation was so bogus (and, to me, humiliating) I could scarcely believe they did it. Some people will do ANYTHING to get their way. And lives are ruined in the meantime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidwiz Posted August 17, 2004 Share Posted August 17, 2004 Merlin - to follow up on my post, it looks like the bar assocation in your county is Bi-Stone Bar Association 316 W. Hwy 84 Fairfield, TX 75840 Phone: 903-389-3577 Fax: 903-389-8103 It wouldn't hurt to give them a call and see if they have a referral service. Here is what looks like a list of all the Texas bar associations (cached from Yahoo). If you want to email or PM me, pls feel free. -David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diehli Posted August 17, 2004 Share Posted August 17, 2004 To add a little levity/insanity to the situation, you could always resort to informing him of your hobbies.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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