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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
Pay me already!!!
James Byrd, Student/Intern, Photographer
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San Marcos | Tx | USA | Posted: 3:26 PM on 08.26.09 |
| ->> It has been two months since I completed an assignment for a realatively large newspaper. The pictures were not used due to space issues or perhaps they did not fit the story the way they had hoped. However, I was being paid for the work that I did, not on publication. Besides, they now have my work and can use it for file or whatever they think fit. This is the first freeelance assignment I have done. Is it normal for it to take two months and why is this guy so hard to get ahold of? I have correspondence with him via e-mail, he says he sent the information to payroll in an e-mail, but that was last month and two months since I completed the assignment. I have no proof that it was a paid assignment other than his word and this e-mail from him saying that he has contacted payroll. So the question I have is what next? Do I contact the editor of the paper? |
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Juliann Tallino, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Port Townsend/Seattle | WA | USA | Posted: 3:31 PM on 08.26.09 |
| ->> make sure payroll has the proper info. They may need a w-9 from you to cut the check. There is often a lack of communication between the newsroom and accounting. You may want to find out who to talk to in payroll to make sure they have everything they need to cut you a check. Did you send an invoice? I always send a w-9 with my invoice to new clients, it really speeds up the payment process. |
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Jeff Mills, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Columbus | OH | USA | Posted: 4:01 PM on 08.26.09 |
->> I know its a frustrating situation and one we've all found ourselves in but I might suggest you pose your question in a bit more professional manner than "Pay me already!!" Its just not how you'd go about conducting business with any clients even if you are frustrated with them, and perhaps rightfully so. Something along the lines of "next course of action over nonpayment situation" perhaps.
"Show me the money" did however prove effective in Jerry McGuire lol.
Have you touched base with this editor in the last 30 days ? He might not even be aware you haven't gotten paid yet.
Many times it can take 30-60 days to get a check issued from an accounting dept depending on their payment cycles. The editor may of submitted yours right as a cycle ended. Other issues such as needing your w9 info with ssn or tax id could be a factor as well.
Perhaps the accounting dept is waiting on that info and your assigning editor failed to get notice or pass notice onto you that they'll require that info.
Other times an accounting dept may need you to submit an invoice with invoice number for their own record keeping needs and can't just cut you a check otherwise. |
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Jim Comeau, Photo Editor, Photographer
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Los Angeles | CA | USA | Posted: 5:40 PM on 08.26.09 |
->> I would contact the accounts payable department rather than your contact. Very often, the person doing the hiring/assigning has little info after the fact. In my corporate experience, they (or someone in their department) might write the purchase order, but it can get caught up in the approval process, and of course the check cutting process.
Accounts payable departments at companies across the country are having to triage their outstanding invoices and sometimes, the small ones get lost in the bunch. At a previous company, they were backed up 3 and 4 months trying to pay as the money was coming in.
My recommendation is to try to call the A/P manager/supervisor or controller and request a status. I would include the date you sent your invoice, the invoice number, the date of the assignment (as it would affect which fiscal month they would have to reference) and a purchase order number (if you were given one by your person of contact). |
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Jim Comeau, Photo Editor, Photographer
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Los Angeles | CA | USA | Posted: 5:43 PM on 08.26.09 |
->> And yes, most accounting systems (especially ones for large corporations who need to be SOX compliant [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarbanes-Oxley_Act]) require your to be added into their system instead paying to a generic vendor account.
If they haven't sent you a W9 and/or a proprietary vendor form to fill out, that could be holding everything up. Heck, a purchase order might not even have been written yet if that's the case. |
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Chuck Steenburgh, Photographer
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Lexington | VA | USA | Posted: 7:26 PM on 08.26.09 |
->> I simply have a pre-filled W9 in PDF format that I routinely send with my invoice to all new clients. Saves a couple of emails back and forth and I actually think in some cases my efficiency motivates the hiring contact to pay me promptly.
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw9.pdf
Just fill in the info and save it to your computer. |
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Jeff Mills, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Columbus | OH | USA | Posted: 8:18 PM on 08.26.09 |
->> Okay, does someone out there follow my post just to mark me "inappropriate" because I think I get one in every thread.
For that matter how can I be both "inappropriate" and "informative" at the same time ???
To whomever marked me as such, how about you speak up or email me and discuss what I said that was in violation of the rules of SS to warrant marking the post as such?
As a refresher, "WARNING!! This is NOT to be used unless something rude, racist, or blatantly disrespectful has been said. This is NOT used to disagree with a person's opinion. Misuse of this rating can result in a suspension of your ability to participate in the message board. Please think twice before you use this rating"
I hate this hiding behind a button "stuff" someone is doing. |
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Steve Violette, Photographer
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Gulf Breeze | FL | USA | Posted: 9:06 AM on 08.27.09 |
->> Make sure and send the invoice. Contact the person face-to face or the very least a phone call. DO NOT rely on e-mail. It is to easy to hide behind
Good luck |
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Mike Anzaldi, Photographer
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Oak Park | IL | USA | Posted: 10:53 AM on 08.27.09 |
->> jeff-
you want to talk "inappropriates?" follow the 'embarrassed to be here thread.' or perhaps, anything i've said over the last week. |
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Jeff Mills, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Columbus | OH | USA | Posted: 12:23 PM on 08.28.09 |
->> Feel for ya Mike, seems simply making a post is good for at least (1) if not more for you these days. Your post here I could see being argued "off topic" by the forum police but as per the SS rules, nothing in the one sentence post of your falls under rude, racist or blatantly disrespectful. I would encourage whomever marked you as a such please explain what offense they took with what you said other than the pure fact that they must not like the person who said it.
Anyways.....
I did have the person who marked my post as such contact me and explain why, which I do appreciate. I never expect everyone to agree with and welcome countering viewpoints.
They felt it was inappropriate for me to question the OP's professionalism by making a comment regarding the title of his thread. I don't think that falls under the lines of "inappropriate" but its a fair opinion for them to have.
I'm mentioning this here publicly because I think the reasoning behind why I said that might prove to be useful information.
We have here a young photographer who did his first assignment. That is great and hopefully its that first foot in the door for more assignments to follow.
However, the "pay me already!!" aspect to me doesn't give the impression of someone who is really serious and dedicated. It gives an impression of it just being a fun thing to try or its all about the money. I repeat though, I'm NOT saying the OP is either of those things, just simply that the title makes me think of those qualities and they could be unfairly attributed to him. At my little paper I get a ton of new photographers looking for their first opportunities and its defiantly not just about how they shoot but how they go about following up, their communication skills and frankly their general attitude. I respect someone looking out for their bottom line, as they should, as we all should, but at the same time, you don't want someone who's just doing it for the money. You want someone who cares about what they do and is serious about taking it somewhere, not just getting a one time paycheck.
So that is why I mentioned it. Not to insult or belittle him, not to suggest he's any of those things, but simply as a helpful reminder that when he's posing such queries in a public forum, the way he goes about things and language used can shape a potential client/editors impression of him.
It was a mere 2 sentences out of the total post.
In the end, one must be firm and forceful at times, but balance that with being respectful, professional and polite in order to get paid and keep up the goodwill with a client and present themselves in the best possible light.
In summary, Cuba should of said "Show me the money, PLEASE" lol |
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Kevin Clifford, Photographer
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Reno | NV | United States | Posted: 12:35 PM on 08.28.09 |
| ->> I think you scared him away. |
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