Am I being shafted? (work related)
 

Ok, so I am one of a few freelance producer/writer/editors (most of us work through an agency) for a big national TV station. Our offices were being renovated and going with all new software in late July-August and the West Palm Beach staff is moving into our new offices.

First week of July, the West Palm guys started moving in before the move, so we didn't have room for everybody to work in.

Second week of July, I'm told I'm going to take a couple weeks off while they get everyone setup and moved into the new office.

Last week of July, I'm told NO freelancers were working at our offices and that I would be back. And that it was a logistical decision and not a performance related decision. No time frame given.

I try to get an answer as to when I can expect to come back. No answer. I call, left a voicemail. No call back.

Two weeks ago, I get an email from my boss to send my resume out ASAP. I sent it and asked what was going on. No answer. I called, left a voicemail. No call back.

Last week, I wrote an email to one of my co-workers (who's staff) asking what was going on and he says "the move has been crazy with a capital K" and that he would forward the message to someone who can answer.

I get an email from my boss' boss saying that "there's no room for freelancers at the moment and that there's only one open position left that they're considering me for." And due to the contract we all signed through said agency, HR is going through the process of whatever they do...

Again, no timeframe was given. The Agency has no time frame as well and I'm not even sure they know if the Network is trying to hire me or not...

I've tried to reach out to one of the other freelancers there and I got no response.

Naturally, I'm treating this as a worse case scenario and am looking at other options at this point. I am pissed and slightly depressed enough that I want to buy a vacation for some retail therapy...I would LOVE to just drive / fly somewhere and disappear for a while, but I wouldn't enjoy it not knowing I had a job to come back to.

So, given that. Am I being shafted here or what?

Sorry but sounds like it.

Lack of or no communication is usually a bad sign.

Hang in there guy.
Hope for the best,
prepare for the worst.

Two months of being dinked around sounds like it.

I'm not familiar with that at-will state(vs. right to work), specific employment laws, or the world of freelancing journalism.
If you quit vs. being fired, you will probably will not get temporary unemployment.

Keep your options open in the meantime...and stay busy and hungry.

Have you ever seen Office Space? A great movie. Depressing however for the way they treat employees. AFC-911, I have to tell you that you don't have a job and nobody has the balls to tell you. I am sorry. Get that resume going. It is some bs big company thing. You have the misfortune of being the wrong type of employee at the wrong time.

Here my friend is how to play it:

Get another gig. Then give them notice that you have this other gig. Tell them that you can be persuaded to stay on but it will have to have some commitment from them.

They did not give you the courtesy of letting you know and have strung you out for a long time.

Screw them. Move on.

Sorry to deliver the bad news.

Larry

Start looking yesterday and if you get called back then you can pull the resume's in.

Sorry to say but IMHO I would have been looking as of several weeks ago...

It's disrespectful at best.

I would look to move on.

Sorry you have to go through this.

Yes . Not your fault but they just have too many permanent staff now. I would expect there will be a second round of staff cuts within the next two or three months. (ask me how i know )
Why not start freelancing, FCP on a mac, selling yourself to agencies, and other TV / broadcast outlets in your area. Your former employer will start hiring freelancers again but I would expect that to be 8- 12 months form now. In that time you need to be busy. But first take a holiday, regroup, and remember its not you, its just the way it works.
Good luck

^ I've been freelancing for a while now. Although I prefer to work with long term clients. Ideally, I'd rather have a staff job.

Anyway, as far as too many permanent staff comment. Only 4 or 5 are making the move from West Palm and the majority of those who work overnights are freelancers.

The new office being built (or has been built) has 4 times more machines, so unless they hired a whole bunch of people, I highly doubt it.

My fear is that a) they started hiring the other freelancers or b) they're really not needing us for who knows how long.

This whole thing just sucks.

PS - I started looking around several weeks ago...

PPS - I would rather they just ****ing tell me if I'm really coming back and if so, when or if I'm out. This is depressing just thinking about it...

PPPS - I wish I had a motorcycle in these times. I'd be in the mountains by now (probably getting eaten by a bear).

Isn't that the risk of freelancing? You get treated like crap and tossed overboard before the employees?

Presumably there is some offset to the risk, higher pay, better hours, no?

Nbc?

You're being jerked around while they prepare the shaft.

+1

If you stay, you have told them they can crap on you and get away with it so unfortunately things will only get worse.

Unfortunatly, the answer is yes you are.

I've been an HR weenie for 30 years and am on my third SVP HR role with a large manufacturing company. You just don't treat people like this and expect loyalty and great results. It's sad, but you need to take care of you, since it seems no one else is going to.

It is mOst defiNitely not the peacock network.

Second week of July, I'm told I'm going to take a couple weeks off while they get everyone setup and moved into the new office.

This was when you should have started looking.

I've tried to reach out to one of the other freelancers there and I got no response.

He's your competition; he wouldn't piss on you if you were on fire.

Two weeks ago, I get an email from my boss to send my resume out ASAP. I sent it and asked what was going on. No answer. I called, left a voicemail. No call back.

Any time your boss asks for a resume, it's time to GTFO.

Got it!;)

I should clarify that at this point in time, I could still work on the weekends under the temporary basis that I would be back to full time in 2 or 3 weeks.

You're not getting shafted, but you're not getting hired either.

Time to move on.

+1 one this especially at the career level you have attained. As hard as it may seem, after the second v/m and no call back I would have to re-think my value there and started 'the search'....