How do I go about getting compensation for services rendered?
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How do I go about getting compensation for services rendered?
I am a PA certified teacher of Spanish and Social Studies. A Philadelphia charter school, (public school) asked me to substitute in an eighth grade Spanish class for 2 days. I agreed to do so. However, I only worked 1/2 instead of the 2 days that I was supposed to due to a snow emergency. Despite 3 e-mails and a certified letter asking for my pay, I have not been compensated. I believe that I am owed pay for the entire day of the 1/2 day that I worked; that was our agreementand I was there. Is there additional money fro keeping me waiting this long? And, can I be reimbursed for postage? Where do I go from here?
Asked on April 21, 2011 under Employment Labor Law, Pennsylvania
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 13 years ago | Contributor
If you were an independent contract, then you'd have to be paid as per the contract--either paid for the hours actually worked or potentially paid for the whole 2 days; it depends on the terms of the agreement.
If you were employed as an employee--even a temporary or part time one--you need to be paid at least for the hours actually worked. That is, if you were an hourly employee, you need to be paid for the hours worked, but if salaried, you'd need to be paid for the entire day you worked, even if its was truncated by factors beyond your control.
If you were an employee, you could try contacting the state or federal department of labor, though with their case backlog, they may not be able to help you (this is a small matter for them). As either an employee or contractor, you could sue for the compensation, which, unfortunately, may not ecnomically be worth it.
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