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Troubles with an employer and lack of commitment

UnrivenFuss

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Dear friends,

I was contacted by someone on LinkedIn to help launch and eventually work in a project with no immediate compensation in view. After embarking on that, my financial situation deteriorated and I began to focus on finding a permanent paying job, but I always felt tied to this situation and anxious about it. I consistently delivered work to this "employer", but was always late and he was always asking for small alterations, which made things unbearable for me. We had agreed on a price for the first bit of work and I finished it twice, but he always asked for alterations without even mentioning payment. I struggle with depression, so at a certain point I gave up and never sent him the last thing he asked for. He never contacted again.

However, the effort I put into this was great and it's quality creative work I deserve to be paid for, but because of my lack of commitment I haven't got the spirits to approach this person and ask to be paid, and I don't know how to finish the work on their terms. I realized I don't believe in the project anymore as well. But I do need the money and I think it's fair that I am paid for something that will have a lot of visibility.

So I asked the I Ching three questions:

Should I wait to be contacted by X?

44.2 > 33

Will X ever pay me for my work?

56.3 > 35

Will this situation harm my professional future?

40.1.2.6 > 21

Can you help interpret these responses? Thank you!
 

lysithea

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My two cents:
To be honest it doesn't look very good. The way I see it you shouldn't embark on a project with this person. But then again, that's up to you. Seems that since you already got involved, you should cut it.
44.2 to 33 seems to be telling you to keep the inferior force at bay. It mentions gentle means so basically not contact them and not insisting if they don't contact you.
56.3 to 35 speaks about being surrounded by people who are not trustworthy and to avoid getting involved. I interpret it as the person being a little bit shady and probably not paying you or having trouble with this.
40.1.2.6 to 21 It probably wont harm your future gravely, but there's going to be obstacles (that you will surpass according to line 1). Success depends on your integrity (line 2), regardless of how murky people can be. In those cases it is better to remove those people from your path because there's not much you can do to make them change (line 6).
So basically, don't get further involved in this and cut your losses.
 
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UnrivenFuss

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lysithea, thank you for your reading, it's very insightful.

I am intrigued as to what the inferior force in 44.3>33 is. In a way, I feel like contacting this person because I see this whole situation as unfinished business, which disturbs me. I also do feel that I could benefit mildly from it, if it had evolved on the same premises agreed by both parties in the beginning. But 33 advises retreat, so I accept your interpretation.

On 56.3 > 35, I am insecure as to whether this is how my "employer" sees me instead. I worked with someone who worked for this person before, and they told me he was a serious and trustworthy. I worry that the I Ching is telling me that I am at fault and because of that I do not deserve to be paid. At the same time, I think part of my hesitance in committing and contacting him (after his failing to mention payment after two alterations he demanded) comes from never truly trusting him, or from not trusting this was right for me.

These are my doubts. Any more insights?
 

pocossin

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Should I wait to be contacted by X?
44.2 > 33


No, send X a bill, and if there is no response within a week, your lawyer should sent X a demand for prompt payment. Success depends on what you have in writing (email) that serves as a contract and on the jurisdiction that X is in. Recovery may be impossible, but you will feel better for having taken action.
 

UnrivenFuss

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Should I wait to be contacted by X?
44.2 > 33


No, send X a bill, and if there is no response within a week, your lawyer should sent X a demand for prompt payment. Success depends on what you have in writing (email) that serves as a contract and on the jurisdiction that X is in. Recovery may be impossible, but you will feel better for having taken action.

This sounds right, yet uncomfortable, pocossin. By I am more inclined to follow your suggestion than lysithea's. Thank you!

About your future, this looks like a good reading to me. You will be able to have this work you've done in your portfolio and it will be much to your credit.

ginnie, that's part of why I asked the first two questions, because I really think I could benefit from showcasing some of the best work I've done so far. Thank you.
 

UnrivenFuss

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An update on this story: I never got paid for my work and the employer totally disappeared from the map... In the meantime, the project I worked so hard for never really picked up, the content I wrote for a certain website is still the same and the products were never launched. I believe a few people were scammed, like the ones who built the website, but I don't know what for. Maybe it was a facade to take money from investors.

Thank you all for your input!
 

Clarity,
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London.
W1A 6US
United Kingdom

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