Issues with the boss

Frank Bullitt

This is a bit long winded so bare with me on this.

Essentially I work in a design studio, but I'm not on the books for pay so am paid by cheque and have to sort my own tax. Its an easy enough thing to do and my situation was grand as the money was good and the work was and still is great.

In July I was told that it was quiet with work so I would have to go on a 4 day week for one month, which would bring down my wages. After the month was up I would get a review of the situation and see what the story was regarding a full week. This never happened and since July have been essentially going in the red with my money and struggling to make ends meet, I'm luck that I still live at home etc otherwise I would be in serious trouble.

THe past few weeks it has been getting busy so I emailed one of my bosses(he makes the final decisions with regards to pay and money etc, but both need to agree on it), I asked to have a chat about a few things on Tuesday of this week, hoping for a proper sit down and talk about my situation and about other things like holidays im owed and also about getting paid properly into my bank as I am working with the company for almost a year now. What I got was a 5 minute chat while we were making tea on Tuesday morning essentially saying that if there is work to do then come in, if not then stay at home, so be flexible. Its mainly to do with the fact that I do work for one company mainly, so its just to be there for them.

Flexible Mondays would not be much use to me as for the last while I have been getting freelance work to supplement my income, and use my free Mondays to do this.

This week there was a deadline for this client that I mainly do the work for, it was for Friday but it turned out that it had to run on till Monday as some content for the client never arrived, it is for a publication that we do for them. After my discussion with the boss on Wednesday when he mentioned the flexible work, I took on another freelance job that is worth a decent amount of money to me and will need Monday to do it. Once the call came in about the job running on till Monday, he said "Oh sure you can come in and do it", our production manager told him I was unavailable this Monday and he had a go at me over this, in front of the production manager and another designer, so thats strike one.

One of the articles that was mean't to be for Monday came in late yesterday so I stayed late last night to get that done. Soon after I sent that over he was leaving with another member of a company that we share the building with, and again had another go at me in front of him, this time shouting at me and leaving with "Don't ever talk to me again about 5 day weeks again" and he left.

Obviously I wasn't at all happy, If anyone saw a bloke cycling through town yesterday around 6.30 hitting the handle bars of his bike, sorry. Its an awkward situation for me to approach, but the other director of the company was not there to witness this so I feel that I will talk to him about it when I am in on Tuesday.

I really feel like leaving if thats his attitude towards me, considering that my pay is so low for the work that I do, that If i have to supplement my income he throws a wobbler, he also lead with the line that this job comes first etc, but in actual fact like everyone in a job you come first, cause I'm only looking out for me at the minute, otherwise I wouldn't be looking for freelance work.

I don't think I'm leaving anything out in that, but I think you can see it from both points of view, as I do see it from his, but I don't think he is seeing it from mine, if I were to agree to go in on Monday I would loose money. I would also not look for freelance work if I were given my Mondays back properly, not flexible ones, as this does not suit me at all as again, I could be missing out on money by doing this.

I intend to discuss this matter when I'm in work this week, with both my bosses, not just him, and explain my situation.

Has anyone got any extra advice for this situation.

tenchi-fan

So, Gintonious, what exactly are you looking for? I'll be honest your opening post was all over the place and I can't really follow it. Do you want a set number of hours, or a set number of days? You need to communicate this with your boss the next time you meet and be prepared to walk if you cannot reach an agreement. If you can reach an agreement, put the main points in writing.

One other point, you're calling yourself a freelancer. If you wish to become an employee of the company you could have considerably more rights, including holiday pay and a set number of hours. In fact, if I worked for the Revenue Commissioners and you were doing regular hours, this was your main source of income and you received an hourly rate, I would deem you to be an employee of the company.

PS: It's clear the boss is taking advantage of you, as the "flexibility" arrangement is totally in his favour. He wants you to keep your Mondays free but isn't willing to pay you for every Monday. Be prepared to walk.

edellc

This sounds like your boss is taking advantage of this economic situation, I think you need to have a long hard look at your circumstance and figure out what you want for this job

If you want to be made a paye employee or stay as a freelancer?

If you where to get your Mondays back on a full time permanent basis, then would you be financially better off than if doing your four day week with your freelancer work on the Monday ?

How is the job situation in your industry because if and when you do talk to your boss and he plays hardball and wont negotiate then are you prepared to walk?

Unfortunately some bosses are just pigs and your going to have to decide if your going to take it or stand up and be counted and fight for what your worth, who knows maybe it will get you respect from your boss or maybe it'll get you your P45

Whichever way its a tough situation to be in and although I can see the logic in your writing and the irrational in your bosses he is the one with the power so think long and hard and choose your words wisely before considering meeting with him

tenchi-fan

edellc wrote: »

who knows maybe it will get you respect from your boss or maybe it'll get you your P45

Don't mean to be petty, but the op is not an employee and won't be getting a P45. This has added disadvantages, such as entitlement to jobseekers benefit.

Frank Bullitt

Thanks for the reply, sorry if it was a bit over the place, its a complicated situation.

Basically what I would like is my 5 days as a set agreement, not flexible, if im set then I wouldnt look for freelance as the money would be enough for me to get by and more. I would love to be a proper, on the books, employee of the company, well before Friday I did, this may well change in the coming days while I plan my next move.

This is and has been my main source of income since the start of this year really, weather I am seen as an employee in his eyes I am not sure, or in the official eyes of the revenue as I have to sort out my own tax and PRSI, this was another thing I was hoping to talk to him about at our meeting which never happened.

I am ready to walk if needs be, I have good experience now on my CV and also have a very good portfolio now as well to get me another job, and jobs are picking up in the industry. Weather I get respect in the coming week im not sure, I wasn't shown any yesterday when he decided to throw a wobbler in front of the other staff.

Luckily I have time to plan what I want to say to him on Tuesday, but I can see more toys being thrown from the buggy on his side soon.

edellc

tenchi-fan wrote: »

Don't mean to be petty, but the op is not an employee and won't be getting a P45. This has added disadvantages, such as entitlement to jobseekers benefit.

it was a turn of phrase you have heard of them I presume???

so in that respect yes you are being petty :rolleyes:


regarding jsb/jsa the op may still be entitled to it see the link below

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/unemployed_people/self_employed_and_unemployment.html

edellc

OP I do wish you the very best in the meeting and hopefully he sees sense though dont hold your breath and remember not to go picking up his toys once thrown from the pram as he will never learn his lesson like that tantrums get you nowhere

Frank Bullitt

edellc wrote: »

OP I do wish you the very best in the meeting and hopefully he sees sense though dont hold your breath and remember not to go picking up his toys once thrown from the pram as he will never learn his lesson like that tantrums get you nowhere

Thank you very much, I will see how it goes, but I have already been looking at other jobs and there are plenty out there, and I have a good few connections in the field.

Iv also been thinking about the whole event and it really comes across as a spoiled brat not getting their way, its really something to witness a middle aged man act like a 4 year old.

Rest assured, I won't be bullied into his way of things, I have too much respect for myself to do that. But I will remain calm when dealing with this, no point in burning bridges.

growler

It seems to me the most important factor in your position is why they need you for the specific client's work, if you aren't easily replacable and the account if profitable, then he should be quite willing to take you on permanently. Strange situation, but your boss clearly is being unreasonable, he can't have you on call 24/7 and not pay for you.

Could you do the client work yourself?

qwerty13

edellc wrote: »

it was a turn of phrase you have heard of them I presume???

so in that respect yes you are being petty :rolleyes:

regarding jsb/jsa the op may still be entitled to it see the link below

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/unemployed_people/self_employed_and_unemployment.html

Being a PAYE worker and being self employed are very different in terms of rights and tax, so I think it is an important distinction to bring up; especially as the OP has specifically mentioned that this is an issue. Can't understand why there was any need to roll eyes at someone clarifying that he won't get a P45?

Frank Bullitt

growler wrote: »

It seems to me the most important factor in your position is why they need you for the specific client's work, if you aren't easily replacable and the account if profitable, then he should be quite willing to take you on permanently. Strange situation, but your boss clearly is being unreasonable, he can't have you on call 24/7 and not pay for you.

Could you do the client work yourself?

Its a bit more complex than that, there is a connection between the work and the client that has been around for quite a while, so its quite stable.

I have been on this job now since February and have built up a good professional relationship with them, its the sort of work where you need to know the people to be able to get on with the work.

I think what it comes down to is that paying wages out has been low for a while now, not just for me, but the work is still being done with some overtime after work, which isn't billable, so essentially the profits are up so while the wages are down.

I am also there long enough now that I feel that I should be on the books.

Frank Bullitt

Well, it turns out my boss is a complete bollox, when I said that when he had a go at me in front of the other members of staff I was very embarrassed, his reply..."good, thats what I wanted to happen"

And I got the "we are doing you a favor in these tough times" line as well.

Sweet Jesus.

doomed

Stay where you are simply for the money but be looking for other opportunities. Everyone ends up having to work for people they don't like at one point. Think of it as selling a service to an obnoxious customer. He is not actually your boss if he is paying you on a piecework basis. He's just the pr*ck you sell your skills to. It might make it easier if you look at it that way.

If you get freelance work on Mondays, is there more of that going around? Can that lead to other work or referrals? If you do get enough work elsewhere work you can look forward to the day when you leave. Hopefully it will be at a busy time.

Best of luck.

Frank Bullitt

doomed wrote: »

Stay where you are simply for the money but be looking for other opportunities. Everyone ends up having to work for people they don't like at one point. Think of it as selling a service to an obnoxious customer. He is not actually your boss if he is paying you on a piecework basis. He's just the pr*ck you sell your skills to. It might make it easier if you look at it that way.

If you get freelance work on Mondays, is there more of that going around? Can that lead to other work or referrals? If you do get enough work elsewhere work you can look forward to the day when you leave. Hopefully it will be at a busy time.

Best of luck.

Freelancing is picking up but you need to build up a client base for that, and I'm only really starting in that now, so will take time for it to build up.

I think your approach is a good one, ill keep the relationship purely professional, its the best way to keep it.

irlrobins

He's not your boss, he's a client. You're essientially working as a contractor to his firm. You have an agreement with this client to work 4 days a week and one day a week to your other clients. If he requests you to work 5 days a week he should understand that you have commitments to other clients, a risk he needs to mitigate when he's planning his own work and timelines.

The boss/client is a bully and taking advantage of you. Stick to your guns on the four day week, if he want's a 5th day you can do it dependent on other obligations. If he's not happy with that, you can tell him you'd be happy to move to a 5 day contract, if not, go whistle.

And if you're confident you can replace these 4 days with 5 days of work with other clients, then do it.

Frank Bullitt

Cheers, am viewing it a very different way the past few days anyway, its working quite well.