Expert: Kitty Kavey - 7/30/2008

Question
I did work for Baker Rowley in March and still have not been paid.  Diane Rowley keeps dodging me and playing games.  The latest is that the payment was expressed to me and I still have not received it.  What should I do?

Answer
You have a number of options, depending on your situation.  If you did work for Baker & Rowley specifically, you could consult an attorney, or check with your state to see what options are available to you if you have a contract with the agency.

If you did work through Baker & Rowley for a third party, you can contact the company you did the work for to see if the money was paid to Baker & Rowley, and if so - when.  Same thing applies if there was a payroll service used.

Also, if you're union, you can contact your union for assistance.  You can contact the bond company (or the state licensing department for assistance) to file a claim for the money owed you, and/or to file a complaint against the company.

Keep in mind that there may be other factors to consider.  If Baker & Rowley has not been paid for the job, it may not be possible for you to collect either.  You should find out if and when the client paid Baker & Rowley.

Ultimately, if it turns out Baker & Rowley was paid months ago, and still has not managed to pay you, a brief letter asking for payment from an attorney usually works fine.  However, don't expect (and if they have a record of non-payment, it's probably not a good idea) to work for that company again.

I hope that this is just a misunderstanding, and doesn't require you to use an attorney or file a claim against the agency.  The payroll service Axium also filed for bankruptcy, and that has stopped a lot of payments, although you can file a claim to try and recover the money owed you if that service was used.

Good luck to you,
~Kitty