Promised Pay; but now I'm getting nothing. Help?

[zigzag]

I have a massive headache from this whole situation, and I'm not sure what I should do.

 

This spring semester I took a 300 level UG class with Professor M to fulfill a final gen-ed credit before my graduation. Professor M teaches in a different school at my University, in a similar but different field from my own, in a different area of focus. I did really well in M's class, however, and have some expertise in a related area. He asked me if I would be willing to take on a paid internship under him over the summer, and if I had any plans. At that point, I had already been accepted to a fully funded PhD in my field, and knew I would be staying in my UG uni's town until August 1st, when my lease ended. 

 

A paid internship sounded like a great idea! I was going to be able to work in a similar discipline but learn things about a different field and method of research, and best of all, I was going to be paid $3,500 to do it. I said yes. I liked this Professor M, I liked his class, and the subject was of personal interest, if not professional academic interest. 

 

Also I really needed that money to move across the country. 

 

That was then. Now, it's mid-June, and the job I "started" working on and training for in May still hasn't officially, legally hired me. Why? Well, I graduated in May - not a surprise. But this meant I couldn't be a student worker, so I've lost both my campus jobs, and this job can't pay me as a student (they apparently didn't account for this even though I explicitly told them I was graduating ahead of time). They also can't hire me as an independent consultant for some reason -- because I worked for my UG Uni in the last six months. I sent an email asking if signing up for a one-credit summer independent study (paid on my credit card) would allow me to be a student worker, and get paid $3,000. All I got a week ago was "We're still talking to HR."

 

Meanwhile, my now alma mater is still having me work....and not paying me. The graduate students at my Uni are upset and frustrated -- because they're also not getting paid for this when they told they would be. It looks like they might not even get paid until the fall, and their payments are strictly speaking, coming out of loopholes of money the department has for funds it was supposed to offer incoming graduates (they apparently "forgot" to entice applicants with these grants). 

 

The difference is, they are stuck with this school and department, and the PI's on this research team. At the end of this summer, however, I'm going to be on the other side of the country, and in a different field, studying a different subject. Professor M has some contacts I would like to "have" just in case, but they are also contacts I am 100% certain I can get through my PhD program through more relevant to me means. 

 

In other words, M is not the only opportunity I'm going to have to connect to this other place. 

 

I'm not eager to burn bridges, even if we aren't really in the same circles -- not by discipline, subject, geography, time, etc. But myself, and the other people on the team (two graduate students and two other undergrads) all are not really pleased with the idea that we're supposed to be working 30 hours a week on the chance we might get paid for it. Frankly, I don't see any reason to work for this, especially when I could be preparing for my own grad program. It doesn't help that we don't yet have institutional approval for the research to move forwards, and that we also don't have the necessary tools to conduct our research in the first place - because they were ordered late. 

 

I've emailed both of the PI's and the person in charge of payments. I've emailed them again. I've suggested solutions. The deadline for summer class registration comes at the end of the month, and when it passes, my "loophole" suggestion for student hiring will have passed. I don't have any real answers, and I'm not getting paid.

 

Should I quit? The PIs are the DGS and the head of the department. I don't have any "overhead" to go to. I'm also no longer a student. I have less of a reason to "stick it out" than the graduate students on this team, who are being advised by one of the PI's. 

 

I have next month's rent, and electricity bills to pay, plus the cost of moving across the country, and the security deposit and first month's rent on my next apartment (with a roommate to help defray costs). This is really overwhelming, as I'd planned to have $3,500 to cover some of these expenses. I can put some of it on my credit card, but I'm really pushing how much I can afford since I have no new income until I start my program. (I usually pay off everything in full immediately). 

 

Finding a job right now would be really difficult, and travel isn't easy for me. But if I quit, I can certainly try to find someone to give me temp work for a month.  

 

Is it nuts to ask my grad program if there are loan options for me, even though I'm fully funded by a stipend - since this fell through? (just to cover my moving expenses?) I filed a FAFSA just in case awhile ago. I feel embarrassed to have to ask this to the grad student coordinator, but I feel like I'm running out of options. 

 

What's the most professional way to handle this -- and budget savvy way? I feel like my alma mater is really screwing me over one last time.

Edited June 17, 2014 by zigzag

[rising_star]

The most budget savvy option is to apply for a 0% interest credit card. You should be able to get one if your credit score is good and that will help you pay for your expenses. I got one last summer that was 0% for 12 months, which would definitely give you time to help pay it off.

[zigzag]

The most budget savvy option is to apply for a 0% interest credit card. You should be able to get one if your credit score is good and that will help you pay for your expenses. I got one last summer that was 0% for 12 months, which would definitely give you time to help pay it off.

 

I'm still in a 12-month period from my card as of december. I just don't have a limit higher than $2,500 and I'm worried this is cutting it close, especially since next month's rent is $500 alone. Still, would asking for student loans at my Grad program to help pay off my credit card help? Or are you just suggesting I apply for another card? (I don't really want to have more debt). 

[rising_star]

I'm suggesting you apply for another card. Asking for a loan is taking on debt. But, it's super difficult to get a student loan if you don't actually have student status. The school might tell you that you need to either enroll in a course or seek a private loan on your own. Another option would be to ask for an increase in your credit limit...

 

As for the actual work situation, I wouldn't work for free, especially when I've been promised money. Rather than waiting on emails, go talk to the HR person directly and find out what's going on and if/when the situation will change. If the answers are unsatisfactory, then tell the PI that you can no longer work on the project because the promises made are not being kept (or however you want to say it).

[zigzag]

I'm suggesting you apply for another card. Asking for a loan is taking on debt. But, it's super difficult to get a student loan if you don't actually have student status. The school might tell you that you need to either enroll in a course or seek a private loan on your own. Another option would be to ask for an increase in your credit limit...

 

As for the actual work situation, I wouldn't work for free, especially when I've been promised money. Rather than waiting on emails, go talk to the HR person directly and find out what's going on and if/when the situation will change. If the answers are unsatisfactory, then tell the PI that you can no longer work on the project because the promises made are not being kept (or however you want to say it).

 

Ah, I meant asking for the loan once I started the semester -- to pay off the credit card debt. That said, I see what you mean and I'll wait & see how this all pans out re: the second card. I may talk to my bank to see if my stipend (change of income) can increase my credit limit a little. I've been meticulous about paying things back. 

 

I already spoke to the secretary in charge of the pay (she couldn't do anything) & whatnot so I'll try to ask her who HR even is. To be completely honest, I've become aware that some of the runarounds they're doing aren't technically legal and I'm just not really satisfied with any of this so despite how badly I need the money, I really don't relish the idea of continuing to work with these PI's. The thing is, we've emailed, called, and spoken in person (the secretary and PI are literally across the hall when they *are* in office). I've even gotten text messages and this still isn't solved. 

 

I think I'm going to talk to my bank first, and then HR and see what happens. I'm not holding my breath though. 

[ZeChocMoose]

Since it sounds like you are dealing with a lot of back and forth - I would just give them a deadline for this to be resolved or you can no longer work there.  I would give about 3-4 days to resolve it as it sounds like this has been dragging on for a couple weeks now.  I would tell your PIs and HR the deadline and explain that if it is not resolved by that date that you can no longer work in the lab as you need to seek out paid employment to cover your living and moving expenses.

 

Although since it sounds like this lab, department, and possibly university has some serious issues, this might be a good excuse to just walk away now.  Sometimes it is better to heed the red flags when you see them.  It also sounds like you are really not getting much in return from this internship.  The environment sounds terrible as all of your coworkers (fellow grad students) are miserable, you don't have the necessary equipment to do the research, and you don't have IRB approval for the research.  I am also not sure why you are contemplating going into debt to continue to work there?!  Don't put one credit of tuition on your credit card in order to get paid!  Clearly, the other grad students are not getting paid either so it sounds like there is a money flow problem in general not that you are not a student anymore.  As I have previously hired students once they have graduated to continue working in my office at a university - it is not that difficult.  There must be other issues going on that they are not telling you about or that your PIs are so disorganized that they can't go through the right channels to get it done.

 

I am not seeing any benefits for continuing to work there except for maybe some contacts that you would like to get from one of your PIs.  That doesn't seem enough of a pro to continue to put up with this situation.  If it was me, I would schedule a meeting with both of your PIs (or I guess email if they are difficult to meet with because they are so busy) and tell them that this situation is not working out (you can go as much or as little detail as you want to go into that - or- you can entirely blame it on not being paid and not being able to affordable to continue to work there if that seems easier) and say that your last day is X and that you will hand over all your notes/documents on the research to them on your last day.  I would schedule my last day to be in a couple days.  Two weeks notice is not warranted here as they have not held up their end of the bargain.

[zigzag]

I'll clarify it's not a STEM lab -- it's a soc sci/humanities office/research project. There's no threat of me taking my petri dishes and walking off or anything. But no, we (as of yet) don't have IRB approval, so instead of moving forwards on part of the project, we're just doing research. Which is fine -- the thing we need IRB approval for is very complicated in terms of legality & can change, and the goal for the summer was mainly to start the foundations of the project. (Honestly though I can't say what we're researching, I can say it is painfully ironic that they're not paying us to do this). 

 

Unfortunately I know for a fact I can't be hired as a student because I graduated (I had two jobs prior to my graduation date on campus) and the PI's have told me I can't be hired as an independent consultant because I used to work for this Uni. I spoke with a friend who also used to go to my UG Uni and he said that in a completely different school on the campus, he ran into the exact same problem in that he couldn't be hired since he'd worked for the school in the last six months. It sounds crazy and pointless to me, but apparently this is simply how it works on the academic side of things (it's different for other places of employment on campus as far as I know). 

 

A $500 debt seemed worth it for the $3,500 that I need, as silly as it sounds. It seemed relatively better to get $3,000 (or have the single credit taken out of my income) than nothing at all. 

 

The PI who was supposed to be in charge of paying us is apparently, finally going to be available, and I got an email today at noon telling me to head into the office tomorrow for our big meeting. I'm going to explain the 3-4 days resolution thing, because I desperately need the money, and unlike the other members of the team I A.) am not staying at this institution or even in this discipline and these PI's don't have any bearing on my Academic career and B.) my parents can't help me out if I say I ran into money problems so it's not "no big deal" for me. 

 

This whole thing has been incredibly frustrating and trying, since this was a job I'd been offered months ago -- back in late Feb. and had planned to have (thus I didn't look for summer employment elsewhere) since this was supposed to be a guaranteed thing. 

 

Thanks, though. I'm going to see if the money/income can be salvaged. If it can't, I'll walk away.

Edited June 18, 2014 by zigzag

[juilletmercredi]

This school has the most ridiculous rules.  They seem to be making it purposely difficult for recent grads to become employed by the school if not in a full-officer position.

 

No need to burn bridges.  I would simply tell the PI "I understand that you are having issues with HR, but I cannot work without compensation.  If the program is unable to pay me, I'll have to find alternate employment for the summer."  I also agree with talking to someone in HR directly - even if it means going to their office and sitting in their face.  They have to acknowledge you then, and can't reroute around you.

If they continue to hem and haw, yes, quit.  Once your labor is already given away, the program has no incentive to hustle their buns to pay you.  They are stealing your labor - and it wouldn't matter whether your parents are independently wealthy or whether you had millions in the bank.  You deserve compensation for your labor; you were promised it and it is not being paid to you.  Honestly, at this point it kind of sounds like they are attempting to avoid paying you, especially since they hired you months ago.  At best, though, it's amazing administrative mismanagement.

 

Don't work without pay.  At least if you are going to not get paid this summer, you deserve the break you'd get if you weren't busting your butt for them.

[zigzag]

This school has the most ridiculous rules.  They seem to be making it purposely difficult for recent grads to become employed by the school if not in a full-officer position.

 

No need to burn bridges.  I would simply tell the PI "I understand that you are having issues with HR, but I cannot work without compensation.  If the program is unable to pay me, I'll have to find alternate employment for the summer."  I also agree with talking to someone in HR directly - even if it means going to their office and sitting in their face.  They have to acknowledge you then, and can't reroute around you.

If they continue to hem and haw, yes, quit.  Once your labor is already given away, the program has no incentive to hustle their buns to pay you.  They are stealing your labor - and it wouldn't matter whether your parents are independently wealthy or whether you had millions in the bank.  You deserve compensation for your labor; you were promised it and it is not being paid to you.  Honestly, at this point it kind of sounds like they are attempting to avoid paying you, especially since they hired you months ago.  At best, though, it's amazing administrative mismanagement.

 

Don't work without pay.  At least if you are going to not get paid this summer, you deserve the break you'd get if you weren't busting your butt for them.

 

Thanks. I showed up today for our "meeting" with one of the PIs who said I would (probably) be able to be paid for the work I'd already done but they didn't know if I could continue to be paid for the summer. He spoke to HR but I said I wanted it solved by the end of the week. 

 

One of the undergrads is really stressed - she doesn't know if she'll be paid before her rent is due on the first (and I don't either). The grad students are potentially getting their pay worked out but it might also accidentally be applied to their tuition, since the Uni applies charges for the upcoming fall semester during the summer. (They do this for spring, too. Nothing said Merry Christmas and Happy Finals! like seeing a $10,000 tuition charge added to your account before you finished the fall term.)

 

Seems like the administrative mismanagement is in part due to the fact that one of the PIs is on as his first year at the DGS, is moving, and is scatterbrained in general. (For instance, he still hasn't entered grades for one of his spring semester graduate seminars which is holding some students back from finishing up classes and applying to comps. I'm grateful he's neither my advisor nor even in my field.)

 

Apparently the choice to not hire recent grads is to "prevent the uni from taking advantage of students." 

 

Regardless, I have to wait out the week to see what happens. I spent today playing bejeweled, mostly so I wouldn't lose my temper at the casual "oh don't worry about it" attitude the PI gave us. 

Edited June 19, 2014 by zigzag