Should I be upset?

[RobbyinTN]

I would have been ashamed to have taken anything for the first game. IMHO you didn't earn anything that game since you put the game/other official in a bind by not being there. There is no way the game could have flowed as smoothly with one official as it would with two so I would consider that game fee lost.

When you saw you were running late, you didn't call the school or better yet, your partner? I always take my partner's number and the school's and/or GA's number in case something happens on the way.

[The_Rookie]

Originally Posted by RobbyinTN

I would have been ashamed to have taken anything for the first game. IMHO you didn't earn anything that game since you put the game/other official in a bind by not being there. There is no way the game could have flowed as smoothly with one official as it would with two so I would consider that game fee lost.

When you saw you were running late, you didn't call the school or better yet, your partner? I always take my partner's number and the school's and/or GA's number in case something happens on the way.

Our Assoc. if you miss the tip off you are fined an amount equal to the game fee..considered a NO SHOW!

[stiffler3492]

Originally Posted by RobbyinTN

I would have been ashamed to have taken anything for the first game. IMHO you didn't earn anything that game since you put the game/other official in a bind by not being there. There is no way the game could have flowed as smoothly with one official as it would with two so I would consider that game fee lost.

When you saw you were running late, you didn't call the school or better yet, your partner? I always take my partner's number and the school's and/or GA's number in case something happens on the way.

Yes and yes. Nobody answered at the school and I called my partner and he was in traffic as well. I asked him to let the school know my situation if he got there first.

The AD eventually called me and I told him where I was

[Welpe]

Stuff happens sometimes but the fact is you did not adhere to the terms of your contract. Doesn't make you a bad person or bad official. I think you have no leg to stand on by requesting the missing fees.

[stiffler3492]

Originally Posted by Welpe

Stuff happens sometimes but the fact is you did not adhere to the terms of your contract. Doesn't make you a bad person or bad official. I think you have no leg to stand on by requesting the missing fees.

Just to spark more conversation...stuff happens...like getting hurt during a game. So if I got hurt in the second quarter and wasn't able to finish the game, would I only get half the game check? Technically I didn't fulfill my contract then either.

[just another ref]

Originally Posted by stiffler3492

Just to spark more conversation...stuff happens...like getting hurt during a game. So if I got hurt in the second quarter and wasn't able to finish the game, would I only get half the game check? Technically I didn't fulfill my contract then either.

Why would you expect any more?

[stiffler3492]

Originally Posted by just another ref

Why would you expect any more?

Well, nine times out of ten injuries are out of our control.

A traffic jam situation could be out of our control, ie an accident on a roadway that radio station traffic reports don't cover.

The school or district was going to pay you the money anyway, you get injured during the first half, and can't finish the game. Not their fault, not yours. Why should they withhold the money, other than to save a few bucks?

[RobbyinTN]

You get paid for what you WORK not what you were suppose to work but didn't.

If you were injured in the first half of a game I might see where they would pay you but if you were injured in the first game would you expect them to pay you for the second game as well? But just not showing up is a different story

[Butterfly182310]

Originally Posted by stiffler3492

Well, nine times out of ten injuries are out of our control.

Really? On the basketball court? I'd bet most of the referee injuries are due to inadequate stretching, carrying too much weight, or otherwise being out of shape. Those are controllable, if we choose.

We're not working under an employee agreement. We're independent contractors. If we don't do the job, we don't get paid. If I hire someone to build a chicken house, and he gets started late, and the chickens arrive before he gets the doors on, and the chickens all escape, I'm not paying him a nickel, even though he did do half the job.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by stiffler3492

Well, nine times out of ten injuries are out of our control.

A traffic jam situation could be out of our control, ie an accident on a roadway that radio station traffic reports don't cover.

The school or district was going to pay you the money anyway, you get injured during the first half, and can't finish the game. Not their fault, not yours. Why should they withhold the money, other than to save a few bucks?

As someone that actually lives here, there are a lot of schools that would not do anything different but pay you your whole fee if you worked the entire game, especially if you called and told them you were stuck in traffic. That happens a lot here especially on those early games. Unless the contract says something different, they should pay you the entire fee. That being said saying something is not going to get much of anywhere. But I know many that have paid when you show up in this very situation.

Peace

[BktBallRef]

Originally Posted by stiffler3492

The school or district was going to pay you the money anyway, you get injured during the first half, and can't finish the game. Not their fault, not yours. Why should they withhold the money, other than to save a few bucks?

Just don't get it, do you?

Let's say you took your car to get the tires rotated/balanced. Because his air wrench jammed, he was only able to do 3 of the 4 tires. Are you going to pay him for balancing all 4 tires? I don't think so.

Tell ya what, why don't you call the AD tomorrow and raise hell about that one half you didn't get paid for because you didn't work it? Then, the AD will know that he hired 1) an official who can't depend on to be on time AND 2) who thinks he deserves to be paid for a job he didn't do. Yep, go ahead and burn that bridge. You don't want to go back there, right?

I swear, some of you young guys have got some strange ideas about what you're "owed."

[BktBallRef]

Originally Posted by stiffler3492

Just to spark more conversation...stuff happens...like getting hurt during a game. So if I got hurt in the second quarter and wasn't able to finish the game, would I only get half the game check? Technically I didn't fulfill my contract then either.

Perhaps. But that wouldn't be something you brought on yourself. That's an accident. Being late is your fault.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by stiffler3492

Just to spark more conversation...stuff happens...like getting hurt during a game. So if I got hurt in the second quarter and wasn't able to finish the game, would I only get half the game check? Technically I didn't fulfill my contract then either.

When I filled in after a JV ref pulled his hamstring, the guy I replaced offered to send me half his check for working the fourth quarter. Naturally, I declined. Four seasons ago I blew out my knee in the second quarter of a varsity game and they had to call a JV official in to work the rest of the game. I don't remember offering anyone part of my check, but I was in a great deal of pain and ended up in the hospital and simply don't remember how I got paid for that -- and didn't care (the fee at the time was something like $57.50).

It all evens out. But if I missed a half of a game because of traffic, I would have probably apologized again to the AD and told him to please keep the money for the entire first game.

Of course, where I live a game cannot start with less than 2 licensed officials. So here, they'd find a replacement or they'd wait.