What to do when co-worker owes money for work on the side?

Question

I did some extra work for a co-worker. He was the one who offered to pay me for it, I didn't ask to be compensated. I feel as if my helpful nature has been taken advantage of. I have not made much of an issue about it because I thought maybe he was hard up for money. Then I learned he was going on vacation with his wife and 2 kids...to Hawaii! So I wrote him an email and told him I would not be doing anthing else for him until he paid me wht he owes. Here's the kicker! His response was rude and demeaning. He told me that he was insulted by the insinuation that he would not pay and offered to fedex it to me if I was that hard up. I don't want to have an uncomfortable work environment...I love my job and most of the people I work with ;}. He made me feel like a beggar with my handout. I let him know that It made me uncomrtable to be put in the position to have to ask for it. Someone please give me some perspective, Now I'm the one who is both insulted and degraded. How do I handle this?

Answer 1

May I quote you? "I didn't ask to be compensated."
Now, he doesn't want to pay you and you are the one feeling insulted because of his comment, and rightly so.
But he offered to pay you. You should have taken the next step and drawn up a contract which both of you would have signed, clearly stating what was to be done for said amount of money.
You did not enter into a contract.
What you did, is what a friend would do for a friend or family member.
He may have felt insulted because now you are asking for money when he thought you were doing it as a friend.
Now he is telling you threw an insult, that "you" not "he" has severed what ever friendship you both enjoyed because now you are asking to be paid as an employee, instead of a Friend.
You can walk away from it, or you can tell him that your friendship means more than money and you are willing to forget the situation that caused the disturbance between you both.

Answer 2

You tell him that you had an agreement and being "hard up" is not the issue. You did work and were promised to be paid for that work. He's being rude and insulting because he probably does not want to pay you. Insist on being paid. Next time, have anyone you work for on the side sign a simple promissory note with the date you are to be repaid on it. Then if they don't pay, you can take them to small claims court. Time is money!

Answer 3

He's trying to make you feel bad so you don't ask for the money. He offered to pay you so he should be an adult and pay up. It sounds like your work environment will be stressful whether he pays you or not. Don't let him push your buttons! Jerks like this usually badmouth you too. Be prepared.

Don't do any work for him anymore unless he pays you, in cash, in advance! And get an agreement in writing.

I'd accept his FedEx offer. I bet he reneges on this too.

Good luck.

Answer 4

I certainly would not do any more work for him, just be too busy and this is a good time to figure out some type of a contract to have people sign at the time they hire you so next time you have a leg to stand on. You might even ask for a percentage down............but I would at least have them sign it before the work began.

Answer 5

It is too bad that your co-worker is acting like that.
You are going to have to drop out of the popularity contest, and get down to brass tacks.
This person owes you money, I am the type of person who does not care if you like me or not, if you owe me, pay me.
You should not add fuel to the fire for someone who does not respect you.
I am a nice person until I am crossed, I could look them in the eye, with my hand out, not insultingly, and softly say, "just pay me". I would not have anything to do with them, until they apologized. If they apologized I could accept gracefully. I would not need to say anything, for then they are forgiven