AAU Non Payment Issues

[RocRef]

Originally Posted by BayStateRef

A few suggestions. First, stop texting. Get on the phone and talk with him. Do not stop calling until you reach him.

Next. You need to think of this as a basic business transaction with a contract. His failing to pay you is a breach of contract. Do not overcomplicate it.

Next. Ask the assignor if he can contact the person and act as an intermediary. The assignor has the potential to withhold future services (assigning officials) and if he has any gumption, he should both threaten that...and do it.

Next...as others have told you...write a demand letter. There are many examples online of what it needs to say...but if you want, send me a private message and I can send you one that I had to use a few years ago to get paid. It's no fun chasing money...but this is a business for me and I treat it that way.

Lastly...(repeating advice from others)....whether you are paid in cash or by check does not make it "under the table." You are legally responsible to report all income, no matter the source. I am hardly naive...and realize many officials do not report income from AAU and other games...especially if paid in cash. But this is totally irrelevant to whether you are paid for services rendered.

Next time....don't leave the gym without getting paid.

Well, the problem isnt with communicating with the guy. I have communicated with the guy several times and he has AGREED to pay me, but gets shady when its time to pay. I dont think calling him will make a difference at this point. If he doesnt want to pay me, then he doesnt want to pay me. I have reached out to the assigner and he has tried to communicate with this guy. The assigner has been unsuccessful. It was my last call with my assigner that made me decide to post this thread, because he had no good news for me. Thank you for the advise on the reporting all Referee income. I will make sure of this in the future. As far as leaving the gym without getting paid, he told EVERY official that worked the tournament he would mail them a check. No one was paid that sunday of the tournament. I was just the only person that never received a check. Thanks for the input.

[asdf]

Originally Posted by RocRef

Well, the problem isnt with communicating with the guy. I have communicated with the guy several times and he has AGREED to pay me, but gets shady when its time to pay. I dont think calling him will make a difference at this point. If he doesnt want to pay me, then he doesnt want to pay me. I have reached out to the assigner and he has tried to communicate with this guy. The assigner has been unsuccessful. It was my last call with my assigner that made me decide to post this thread, because he had no good news for me. Thank you for the advise on the reporting all Referee income. I will make sure of this in the future. As far as leaving the gym without getting paid, he told EVERY official that worked the tournament he would mail them a check. No one was paid that sunday of the tournament. I was just the only person that never received a check. Thanks for the input.

Report him, go after him, don't work for him again.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by asdf

Report him, go after him, don't work for him again.

And tell all your officiating buddies.

[BayStateRef]

Originally Posted by RocRef

As far as leaving the gym without getting paid, he told EVERY official that worked the tournament he would mail them a check. No one was paid that sunday of the tournament. I was just the only person that never received a check. Thanks for the input.

This is advice for you...and for every new official. Around here, AAU is cash or check at the gym. It is too risky, with too many transient operators, to do it any other way. The tournament director received fees from every team before he let them play. It's his job to have money for the officials at the game site. This is something you should always check first...and not accept assignments that do not pay you at the gym.

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by BayStateRef

This is advice for you...and for every new official. Around here, AAU is cash or check at the gym. It is too risky, with too many transient operators, to do it any other way. The tournament director received fees from every team before he let them play. It's his job to have money for the officials at the game site. This is something you should always check first...and not accept assignments that do not pay you at the gym.

Good advice. I was burned once many yrs ago.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by RocRef

Well, the problem isnt with communicating with the guy. I have communicated with the guy several times and he has AGREED to pay me, but gets shady when its time to pay. I dont think calling him will make a difference at this point. If he doesnt want to pay me, then he doesnt want to pay me. I have reached out to the assigner and he has tried to communicate with this guy. The assigner has been unsuccessful. It was my last call with my assigner that made me decide to post this thread, because he had no good news for me. Thank you for the advise on the reporting all Referee income. I will make sure of this in the future. As far as leaving the gym without getting paid, he told EVERY official that worked the tournament he would mail them a check. No one was paid that sunday of the tournament. I was just the only person that never received a check. Thanks for the input.

Local news watchdog reporter would be my next move. Have your contacted the national AAU HQs yet? Does the organization running the tournament have a website? Have you talked to the Better Business Bureau? Contact teams that participated in the tournament and let them know that the person they paid to enter the tournament pocketed some of their money.

There are so many things you can do to make this jackwagon uncomfortable.

[Blindolbat]

My opinion, text is a great way to communicate. Now you have records from him, that you can present in court if that is where this goes, that wouldn't be there if there was only a phone call.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by RocRef

I dont think calling him will make a difference at this point.

Your call is to inform him that you're taking him to court if he doesn't pay you immediately. And I would not take "I'll send you a check" as an answer. Make him bring you cash or pay you instantly on paypal.

[JetMetFan]

Originally Posted by RocRef

If he doesnt want to pay me, then he doesnt want to pay me.

One more bit of advice: remove this thought from your head. If your 9-to-5 didn't want to pay you would it be okay? If he doesn't want to pay you then follow everyone else's advice here and make his life as miserable as possible.

[RocRef]

Originally Posted by JetMetFan

One more bit of advice: remove this thought from your head. If your 9-to-5 didn't want to pay you would it be okay? If he doesn't want to pay you then follow everyone else's advice here and make his life as miserable as possible.

lol....no i dont think its okay, which is why i came to you guys. Thanks to everyone for all the input. Ive already begun gathering information to start a small claims suit, ive gone to Niagara District Director and he is planning to bring this to the attention of AAU. Ive told plenty of referees. I think the word has spread more than i expected, which is good. I mailed him a letter already, saying that i plan to file a small claims suit against him....hopefully that puts heat on him and he decides to pay up. Who knows.....but i have learned the lesson of making sure i receive payment before i leave the gym lol. Thanks guys

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by RocRef

I mailed him a letter already, saying that i plan to file a small claims suit against him

If you mail him a letter demanding payment or else you will file, send it registered mail. That way you will have proof that you already tried to collect when you go to small claims court (if it gets that far).

[WhistlesAndStripes]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

He only owed me $85 ...

Only my a$$.

[WhistlesAndStripes]

Originally Posted by RocRef

Thank you for the advise on the reporting all Referee income. I will make sure of this in the future.

The correct thing to do would be to file amended returns if you have past unreported income.

Originally Posted by RocRef

As far as leaving the gym without getting paid, he told EVERY official that worked the tournament he would mail them a check. No one was paid that sunday of the tournament. I was just the only person that never received a check. Thanks for the input.

THis sounds personal. Sue him NOW. No warnings. Just do it. He will end up paying the additional filing fees, etc. Make it as expensive for him now as possible. I'd even start adding interest.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Whistles & Stripes

Sue him now. No warnings. Just do it. He will end up paying the additional filing fees, etc. Make it as expensive for him now as possible. I'd even start adding interest ...

... pain and suffering, loss of marital consortium, emotional damages, stress, embarrassment, depression, strains on family relationships, psychological sexual dysfunction, etc. Make this deadbeat suffer. Hit him where it hurts, in his wallet.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by Whistles & Stripes

The correct thing to do would be to file amended returns if you have past unreported income.



THis sounds personal. Sue him NOW. No warnings. Just do it. He will end up paying the additional filing fees, etc. Make it as expensive for him now as possible. I'd even start adding interest.

You can try to get that, but it will ultimately depend on what the judge awards (based in part on what is allowed in your state).

My guess (and it's just that) is that it would include costs but not pre-judgment interest.