The guy I’m working for hasn’t paid me what he owes me..what can I do?
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The guy I’m working for hasn’t paid me what he owes me..what can I do?
I have been doing some home remodels for a guy who owns his own tile business..
he keeps promising to pay me, but after putting in about 60 hours a week for
two months, he has paid me only a couple hundred dollars on 3 or 4 occasions..
I also have had to pay for my own gas to the job which is out of town, and have
not been reimbursed for some materials I’ve had to purchase as well.. he says
I’ll get paid when the job is done, but the home owner keeps adding more to the
job, and I’m told I won’t get paid until the job is done If I hassle this guy
he gets pissed off, and threatens to not pay me at all..what are my rights? We
don’t have a contract between the two of us, and I don’t even know what he is
getting paid by the home owner, or when. He has had other people come in and do
painting and other things, and he paid them, though not what he said he
would..but those workers may have been undocumented and took what they could
get. I feel like I don’t want to work another second until I’m compensated for
all the hours I’ve already put in… What recourse do I have if I keep being
given the runaround?
Asked on January 4, 2017 under Employment Labor Law, Texas
Answers:
S.L,. Member, California Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 7 years ago | Contributor
Although there isn't any written contract between you and your employer, there is an implied contract that you are doing the work for payment. Therefore, you can sue your employer for breach of contract / account stated.
Depending on the amount you are owed, you may be able to file your lawsuit in small claims court. Your damages (monetary compensation you are seeking in your lawsuit) would be the amount you are owed. Upon prevailing in the case, you can also recover court costs which include the court filing fee and process server fee.
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