What Do You Do When You Don’t Get Paid For Freelance Work?

I’ve only been stiffed once in seven years as a freelancer — sued the agency and they eventually declared bankruptcy. In your case, perhaps go right to the head of the agency. Better yet, if you really don’t care about future work from the agency, go to their client. When clients find out that agencies aren’t paying (or can’t pay) their bills, they get nervous, rumors start flying and some tough questions get asked.

Toad makes good points. Another future consideration is to always discuss the payment process upfront (i.e., how long does it take to get a check?)—then write it into your contract agreement. Any agency that says it even takes up to 30 days is suspect, in my opinion. I’ve been freelancing people for at least three agencies in the past few years, and my agencies usually paid within two weeks. Waiting for the client to pay first is nonsense—and certainly should not be a freelancer’s problem. If you find a lawyer to do you a favor, consider threatening to charge interest. Remember, freelancing is all about charging for your time. At this point, the delinquent agency is making you spend time that could be applied toward a paying client. And if nothing comes of these efforts, go ahead and post the agency name. Although it’s likely that everyone already knows they’re deadbeats.

Thanks for all the tips, y’all. I think it’s just a matter of something falling through the cracks at an agency that’s been a long-distance assignment for me. And they’re not rude or nasty, so there’s no need for me to be. I’m not into anything drastic.

I can’t believe Roadhouse is the one source I turn to at a time like this, but like Patrick Swayze said, be nice–until it’s time to not be nice. Ask the CDs and account dept. one final time just so you know, and if after that you still get the runaround, time to not be nice.
I feel for you. I’ve been burned by a few places. Usually after resolving the situation, I don’t go back. Good points all around here. I’d say first, how bad do you wanna continue with them? If not at all, then while not being an asshole sounds like an option, hj is right: be firm and constantly on their radar.
Some places are just bad when it comes to paying prompt, either deliberately or because they payable/receivable dept. is overworked. The deliberate ones are the evil ones.
For the busy places who aren’t trying to screw you, my friend forwards the exact same invoice he originally sent every two days once past 30 days. No message, just the forwarded email. It works for him.
Small amount like $900 can also be filed in small claims court. (I believe max is $1,500 and filing fee is minimal. That you have an agency PO is a bonus for you as far as he said-she said.)
In my experience, the ones who deliberately screw you aren’t scared by lawyers or letterheads. Chances are, they know what they can get away with since you’re probably not the first. But if you do go the legal route, document everything, Cc: the world and CYA from this point.
I also have an agency who owes me way more than that an I am actually thinking of the public shame thing followed by going to their clients, and publishing all his private info related to the project. I could care if I work for him ever again, so screw him.
But then I like to think what goes around…

I was
hired for straightforward case of web design; this person approved of
the work; she discussed ongoing maintenance and requested that I
upload the site and supplied the account info in order for me to do
so. The agreement to maintain the site was made on my part only in
exchange for the unused disk space on the server, and free of charge;
basically an act of good will and the best intentions on my part; she
also requested to pay half at that point, half after upload; here is
when things got interesting. Although my policy is work first, pay
later, upload last; on the assumption that I would be maintaining the
site I foolishly thought I could trust the her.
This person never paid half first but I went ahead and uploaded the
site. Agh. A few days later she informed me that the site was “funky”
and had reverted seemingly by itself to its previous state, which was
a generic template that she had made using the template builder
provided with the web host. Hmm. This time she made a $50 payment,
which was 1/2 of the ‘half first’ or 1/4 of the total payment;
requesting me to again upload the site, and informing of the new
password to the account, which had inexplicably been changed. Ok-? In
an effort to be helpful I stated the obvious in asking this person
whether she had used the template builder, which still had the old
copy of the template stored, which the client denied as if being
accused of something.
It was only a few days later when no further payment or instructions
appeared from the client that I realized what was happening. Ms.
Menage had waited for me to upload the site, then promptly changed the
password to shut me out. The client then stupidly attempted to use the
template builder to modify the new website, inadvertently reinstating
the old one by mistake. I sent a two-page email, which went
unanswered, patiently explaining the differences between the template
editor and alternative means to edit the site, something I had
contacted her about two weeks earlier, requesting to set a time when
we could put our heads together to implement a customized solution; a
request that also had gone unanswered. I then wrote another two emails
over the course of two days patiently explaining my position in our
agreement, all the things I had done and were willing to do for the
benefit of her website, and explaining that the agreed upon fee for
the site was more than $50.
After a few days this person responded. This time I had apparently
crossed the line and been irrevocably disrespectful in some way with
my ‘smart comments’; and no further pay would be forthcoming. Two
separate conversations are presented below.
Sadly, it is apparent that THIS CLIENT NEVER INTENDED TO PAY ME. It is
unfortunate that so many take advantage of Craigslist’s open market
system to cheat and connive their way through the system. Thank you
for taking the time to listen.
On 2/17/08, I wrote: (this is a small part of a 2-page letter)
Okay. Please don’t confuse content management with that Globuild
template builder they have got up on there. Templates are very limited
in that they can only allow you to change pictures and stuff around
within the look and style of a premade layout.
——————————— (etc.) ————————-
Because this is kind of starting to drag on and it seems we haven’t
been communicating very well and time has been getting wasted. I have
been trying to do everything you wanted me to do but when I asked you
a couple of weeks ago if we could set up a time to hook you up with
the content management you never got back to me; then last week you
On 2/17/08, Tanisha Clayton wrote: (apparently replying to a
completely different conversation)
> no. Any what else is new with this?
On 2/17/08, I wrote:
What part of what I said are you saying no to? I don’t know what else
is new with this because I don’t know what you are expecting me to do.
On 2/19/08, Tanisha Clayton wrote:
I dont even remember what this email was about. What’s with the bad
attitude? I spoke with Danielle and she says that you are very rude.
On 2/18/08, I wrote:
> Please complete payment for the site this week. You have my ongoing full support for minor issues such as technical problems with Globat, in addition to the number of pages in the Cover section, ad placement, and anything else relating to content management; in exchange for the extra space on the server I will be here to continuously support and update the site. But this is dragging on for too long and I really don’t know what more you expect from me. Please don’t dole out payments at me $50 at a time like that. This is a business and I am worth more than that.
On 2/19/08, Tanisha Clayton wrote:
I know that and I really don’t need all the smart comments. For all
that you can keep the $50 and take down the site. you and I both know
why I asked to only pay $50 and further you saw for your self that
something was funky with the site. Now that it’s up I have no problem
paying the remainder balance. The problem that I have is the smart
attitude further irritating me is the fact that I just got my email up
and running only to see emails like the one below.