'I remind him since he hasn't sent me the contract I don't work for him yet': Former boss tries to squeeze free labor out of ex-employee

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Aug 30, 2023 2:00 PM EDT

Bosses never know what they've got until you're gone. This dude was one of those non-profit employers who assigned the amount of work a salaried employee would complete to an intern without paying them properly. That intern eventually pursued a career in a similar field and would go on to receive a graduate degree years later. Seven years following that joke of an internship, his former boss reached out and asked for his help with some grant writing. Now that OP worked regularly as an independent contractor, he was willing to take on the project since he would still be his own boss in this freelance capacity.

 

Of course, just like old times, his former boss's promises proved to be pretty empty. OP was still waiting on a contract when the ex-boss assigned an endless string of grants for him to complete. Luckily, he was not the same innocent soul he was when he was an intern and knew not to get started on any of those grants until his contract was signed. Of course, his ex-boss continued to stall as much as he could, which led OP to believe that he was behind on some last-minute grant deadlines and thought he could squeeze some free labor out of his former intern. The audacity!!

 

Keep scrolling below for the full story in OP's words. For more content like this, here's another post about a boss who insisted that employees notify him every time they go to the bathroom. What is with these employers?! 

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  • 01
    Comfort - "Old boss tries to get me to work for him again... for free"
    via Unseen Studio
  • 02
    Font - old boss tries to get me to work for him again... for free Right after college I was having trouble finding work and ended up being an intern for a small nonprofit.
    via u/RecentSprinkles5997
  • 03
    Font - I was young, dumb, and really believed in their cause I was doing the work of a full-on employee writing grants for minimum wage and part-time hours, I did a lot of extra things for this company unpaid as well. Instead of this being rewarded my boss tried to dispute the number of hours I worked and claimed he would only pay me for "some of them". I reminded him that was in fact illegal and he did end up paying me for all of them but I got laid off not long after.
    via u/RecentSprinkles5997
  • 04
    Font - Cut to seven years later I just finished my graduate degree. My old boss calls me, he claims things are different now he has a ten million dollar budget and a full-on department for what I was doing by myself before. He said he was looking to fill a full-time grant writer position at a competitive rate. I was pretty certain he was full of but told him to email me the details. Well, he then downgraded his offer to consulting on some grants which was fine by me I already currently do consul
    via u/RecentSprinkles5997
  • 05
    Font - He starts spamming me with emails about various grants demanding I work on them immediately, asking when im coming in. Basically acting like I already work for him I remind him since he hasn't sent me the contract I don't work for him yet. He continues to send me grants claiming he will send my contract " later"
    via u/RecentSprinkles5997
  • 06
    Font - I've ignored all his emails since. I suspect since he was super behind on all of these grant proposals he thought he could string me along and squeeze some free labor out of me to get caught up. I look forward to him crashing and burning when he realizes his plan failed.
    via u/RecentSprinkles5997
  • 07
    Font - aberamax 23 hr. ago being an intern for a small nonprofit he has a ten million dollar budget he will send my contract " later" This is not a non-profit, this sounds to me more like a scam. 393 Reply Share
    via u/RecentSprinkles5997
  • 08
    Font - RecentSprinkles5997 OP - 23 hr. ago it was small when I worked there he claims he has since expanded. It does seem like they at least have multiple locations now but i highly doubt he has a 10 mill budget he's prone to exaggeration 130 Reply Share
    via u/RecentSprinkles5997
  • 09
    Font - Newbosterone - 1 day ago. edited 23 hr. ago You could also jam him up by agreeing to work on the grants, then not sending him anything until you get paid. Knowing him, he'll stall as long as possible, so you should too - right up to the submission deadline. It would be like playing chicken in a stolen car - you've got nothing to lose. 135 Reply Share
    via u/RecentSprinkles5997
  • 10
    Font - lukomorya 23 hr. ago I just want to live like ... That's some beautiful sabotage. I love it and recommend it.
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  • 11
    Font - Harde_Kassei 22 hr. ago send him a bill for looking at the grants, lol. 105 Reply Share
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  • 12
    Font - Forgot UsernameAgain8. 1 day ago I don't know how it is in your jurisdiction, but in Germany you could send him your hourly rate and if he then continues to send you "work" there is the legal fiction of a successful contract since he acts as if there was a contract (and you're his employee / contractor). Maybe look that up, send a higher-than-usual rate, do a bit of work and then send him the bills. Be ready for small claims court though
    via u/RecentSprinkles5997
  • 13
    Font - CrunchM 1 day ago Your gut is right. He's trying to slide things past you again. I'd write him again and let him know you won't consider opening any email from him that doesn't contain a contract. Then don't.
    via u/RecentSprinkles5997
  • 14
    Font - alexanderpas 23 hr. ago The thing about being a genuine independent contractor is that the business hiring you is the client, and you can set your own contract terms. Set your own terms, and your own rate. Be your own boss.
    via u/RecentSprinkles5997
  • 15
    Smile - TheTiniest Pirate. 19 hr. ago "I'll send you the contract later." "Then I'll get to this work later."
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  • 16
    Smile - urbisOrbis 21 hr. ago For free? Just hang up on the guy, there is nothing there.
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  • 17
    Font - RecentSprinkles5997 OP 21 hr. ago Yeah, I have no plans to work for him anymore even if he did send a contract. the only reason I haven't said anything is I don't feel like even bothering to waste my time communicating with him further.
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  • 18
    Font - thatgreenmaid. 19 hr. ago I'm happy to get started on these immediately My consulting fee for A B and C is $X. You can pay via Y or Z. Once I've received payment, you can expect a reply within 24 hours. *you'll never hear from him again*
    via u/RecentSprinkles5997

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