Loosing Sleep Over 'Friend' Issue

I think if it's a scenario where he's already spent that money, and there's no comeback through your employer, you're going to be hard pushed to get him to pay any to you.

TBH, I think it's a 'lesson learned' situation - make sure you distance yourself from getting into that situation again, and focus on yourself alone.

I agree with what Flump said.

Especially on it's a lesson learned and distancing yourself.

Thank you both ?. Whilst the money is a lot to loose and an expensive lesson to learn (hell, I could buy an OU course for that ?), it's being let down by someone I considered a friend.

Yeah, he would have spent the money. My employer is going to see if we can recoup the money from elsewhere, so maybe all is not lost. Ironically, he offered me a job recently and I turned him down. Now I am really glad I did as I wouldn't want to work with him again.

I agree with flump aswell. It doesn't seem very fair that you're given a budget to work between yourselves - this could surely happen in the future if you're not careful.

I would look out for number 1 next time and distance yourself from this man who quite honestly, doesn't sound like much of a friend.

Thanks Sunset - thanks. you're right. He doesn't seem to be much of a friend. He used to be a sound guy but seems to have had a bit of a personality shift. Arse.

The budget was managed terribly and I think that's why my employer seems willing to help. Here's hoping, hey!! ?

I really hope your employer helps you out as they've paid him money they owe you - doesn't seem at all fair to me.

But if not, perhaps you could look into the small claims court against this man - I won't call him your friend because he's clearly anything but - and I've no idea if you would claim successfully or ever be likely to actually recoup the money.

Maybe someone here could advise?

Even if it wasn't successful, it doesn't cost much IIRC and it might shock him into realising that he's really screwed you over, both financially and as a colleague and friend. He sounds like a complete sh1t and I'd definitely be steering clear of working with him in the future as it's clear he can't be trusted.

Thanks Zebra. Here's hoping! ? I might look into it as an option if I get no results. But you're right. It's not fair and, even if I get my money (which would be great), being the jammy git he is, he will end up having had double the amount when we did pretty much the same amount of work.

Some people just come up smelling of roses.

How awful. He is certainly no friend of yours but I can quite understand why you feel betrayed. I don't understand though how your employers have got out of this. Why on earth was he allowed £9k of an £11k bdget that was half yours?

You posted about the project recently, I think? Given that you each contracted as individuals with your employer and that the split was agreed in emails between all of you, I don't see how your employer can get out of paying you (based on what you've said)- if they have overpaid him it's for them to reclaim the extra money, not you. Have you raised this with them?

Hi Minerva. Thanks ?. Our employer left him in charge of the budget and I think a lot of this is a *** up on my colleagues part, compounded by the fact our employer failed to keep tabs on what he was doing. Out employer said he thought that my colleague was claiming and giving me half the money (?!?!?!?).

Hi Knownowt ?

Yes, that's right. I've raised it with our employer and it looks like he may play ball but that it "may take months" to sort and that "colleague should cough up". I'm just so frustrated to have been left in this situation as it's a pain not having the money when I expected as I have bills to pay and no money to do it ☹️.

Still, this is a lesson learned and I won't work with him again, thank God!

What a nightmare. I think in your shoes I'd be thinking about seeing a solicitor and threatening to sue your employer. The issue here (from your POV) is that your employer hasn't paid you what they have contracted to pay. The fact they have paid it to someone else is their problem- it's nothing to do with you and your payment shouldn't be made conditional on them recovering the extra from your colleague.

Do you have to keep your employer sweet (eg to get more work)? This will obviously affect your approach.

Thanks Knownowt. Yeah, I kind of need to keep him sweet (my employer, not colleague). To be honest, what with the baby coming etc. I don't feel like doing any work for either of them this year, although short-sighted of me given that I will need to work after the baby is here.

My only concern is that my contract doesn't actuall state the number of hours, just the rate of pay, though I have emails from him stating the hours and how they should be split.

It's all a right royal pain in the backside.

It seems remarkably unprofessional of your employer (of your friend as well of course, but I agree that it's your employer you should be going after for the money). Surely your contract must state how many hours you're working (or is the issue that you took over some of his classes and he got paid for them? Sorry, perhaps I've misunderstood).

I would also think about joining a union, although I'm not sure how it works if you're freelance/employed on a casual basis.