As readers know by now, I’m hunting in the tech realm again for work. I’d really like to get back into wireless, but we’ll see.
In the meantime, I do small web contracts here and there. And that’s always useful.
Last night I got an interesting contract opportunity, and it was a “last minute” deal. A contract company needed folks in the area to install systems for a new company. Sounded very interesting, so I responded. The contract was to last 2 weeks in the area, and was slated to start tomorrow, August 23rd.
This morning I received an e-mail from Sam (names changed) regarding the contract, and confirming my interest. Of course, I replied that I was, and was looking for more information. Scott told me to give “Kathy” a call, and included her number. I gave Kathy a buzz, and was disappointed to find her phone line had been disconnected.
After failing to contact the person who could give me additional detail I wrote back to Sam once more, CC’ing Kathy and Beth. Sam responded almost immediately and told me to call Beth, and provided her number.
This time around I did get a real line. Beth’s voice mail. So I left a message for her. An hour later I received an e-mail from Beth telling me she would call in 1 minute.
Several hours later I gave up on hearing from Beth and headed to Brooke & Andy’s Subway for a salad. The salad was really good, and it made sense, unlike the contract I was looking into today. 
When I returned there was still nothing from Beth, Kathy, or Sam. Very confusing indeed. My first thought, write it off. Then I received another e-mail. But this mail wasn’t from Beth, Kathy, or Sam. It was from another company, apparently the company they were contracted to. Installation instructions, directions to the work site, and the time I should arrive.
Talk about confusing. No documentation in hand from the recruiter yet. No call back. No W2 or W9 information. Nothing.
I forwarded the correspondence to my new friends, and let them know I would not be on site at 7 a.m. until I spoke with one of them regarding the contract. Reasonable, right?
Finally, Kathy called. She apologized for Beth not getting in touch. I didn’t ask about her disconnected phone, things were already weird enough. Finally, I got to ask my questions. W2 or W9 work, an actual contract, payment options, etc. Also, I asked about the length of the contract.
Kathy’s answers weren’t to my liking. W2 work (that’s fine), but the documentation wasn’t available today. They’d send it to me tomorrow after I’d worked on the site. The time sheet information wouldn’t be provided until after I worked the site too. And the length of the contract was only 1 day, not two weeks as initially suggested in their first correspondence.
After telling me all of this Kathy pressed to have me say yes. I pointed out to her that I was uncomfortable, and listed the issues:
- Working on a job site with no contract in hand. Receiving payment information after the job was completed. Concerning to say the least.
- Liability issues. Until documents are signed I felt I was acting on my own, not as a representative of any group. If I damaged a piece of equipment, who would be liable?
- Personal risk. Working without documentation of a contract in place, if I was injured (the facility is still being constructed), who would be liable?
Maybe I’m too picky. But I used to deal with OSHA regulations at my switch locations, and I know the myriad of issues when you bring someone into an active work site still being constructed. I also know about liability issues when putting in expensive equipment. It’s better to make sure you’re covered.
So, I asked Kathy if they could get the contract documentation today. The answer was a simple, “No”. It would be e-mailed to me tomorrow after the work was completed. Hmmmm, if it’s in e-mail format, why not send it today? No answer for that one I’m afraid.
In the end I took a pass on the one day installation gig. Nothing formalized, no assurances for me, and a very odd way to conduct business.
Now, let me ask you…..is this odd, or is this the way business is conducted now?
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I think it’s odd…and I wouldn’t feel comfortable going to a job with absolutely no paperwork in hand…you never know what could happen (and wouldn’t it just if this was the one time you decided to throw caution to the wind?) I would hate to say this is the way business is conducted now…but, the more I hear and learn about what’s happening “out there” the more I am inclined to think so…still keeping my fingers crossed!
Rich
I don’t know what planet these people are from but where I live “no paperwork - No Work”. Maybe its because I was in the Military but the cardinal rule is nothing gets done without paperwork. Speaking of paperwork I learned a long time ago to read the fine print. You could have ended up working and not getting paid which is what I suspect is the real reason you were not given substantial answers to your questions nor the paperwork.
DEFINITELY NOT the way to do business!! You absolutely made the right choice!! Very suspicious and not something you want to get into…very risky! We’ll keep looking here in C-Springs…we want you back!
I have to agree with Sadira,Bill and Deb. Sounds really fishy. Sounds like they wanted someone to do some piecemeal work so that no one person really knows what’s going on. Glad you didn’t take them up on it.
Rich,
You made the right call, doesn’t pass the smell test.
Very suspicious way to do business. There was a reason that they didn’t email the contract and it would have been so easy for them not pay you for the work. Big wide pass on this one.
Smart man you are. No way I would’ve done it under those circumstances!
Just way too weird, eh?
Best part….they got in touch again today for a deal tomorrow. No paperwork, send tomorrow, another pass.
Ok, if they’ve got business going on here, send me the paper work, make it legit, and I’m your man!