Also, if wirking in California, you are entitled to the remainder of your paid vacation days, indescretionary bonus if applicable.

The employer must have paid you at then of you last day, if not, they are subject to paying you for everyday that they didnt up to 30 days, they will also be obligated to penalties by the state. http://Www.dir.ca.gov/dsle/dlsemanual/dlse_enfcmanual.pdf

You shouldnt work even as an independent contractor for people who do not pay you. Its your livelihood, not a game. My advise, as a person whom was in your position, is to call the state. You did everything you could to resolve this amicably.

I tried to comment a few times but I keep getting told I’m too spammy :-) Oh well. Thanks for the comments!

-Jerret

Um, Jerret, it can be a very big freakin’ deal. My 19-year-old daughter, healthy as a horse, wound up on life support in the ICU when a rare neurological illness that struck out of the blue. She was in the hospital for several months and racked up an astounding medical bill. Had my then-husband and I not had insurance, we would probably have had to file bankruptcy.
A friend of mine was looking for private insurance. Because of existing health conditions and her age, she was going to be charged $1,700. Per month. She found a job that was willing to give her decent coverage for $175. Thank goodness.
And me? I’m 53 years old and self-employed. I pay for an HMO because no machine runs for more than 50 years without some maintenance issues. As I found out last week when I fell down some stairs and wound up in the emergency room. It turned out to be just a bad sprain rather than a broken ankle, but it necessitated several X-rays, a walking cast and a pair of crutches. What would that have cost me had I not had insurance?
I hope you live for a hundred years and never get so much as a case of the sniffles. Don’t bet on it.

Oh, and I’m not taking unemployment anyways – make too much w/ all my side gigs to even take it if I wanted…. and plus, I’m not looking for another job! hehe…

Have a great weekend! THANK YOU for signing up to Love Drop!!

If it were me, I’d get myself to the state labor department ASAP: if the line of creditors forms to the left, you want to be as close to the head of the line as you can get.

You have a relatively short time in which to sign up for COBRA. I can’t remember how long — it’s a few weeks. It’s amazingy expensive, especially to cover your kids; however, the benefit is that it keeps you covered, making it harder for a new insurer to exclude you for pre-existing conditions.

Your company’s insurer is supposed to send you a form letter that states you were covered. This is important. Don’t lose it–it also has the effect of helping you get full coverage on your own.

I’d be really careful about contracting with them until they’ve issued a termination letter and until all of the technicalities, including whatever you need to do about unemployment insurance and COBRA, are done and in place.

If you’re earning so much as a penny, BTW, from a sole proprietorship, you’re not eligible for UI. Consider setting up an S-corp for your business and having clients pay the entity instead of you. I don’t know if that gets around the UI regulations, though–need to talk to a lawyer about it. If it does, it would give you some control by allowing you to select the weeks in which you would not receive UI…the S-corp can pay you whenever you choose.

1) Our Cobra letter is “in the mail.” For a second time now ;) We don’t plan on using it, BUT we want to know that if we get sick tomorrow, we can still activate it while we wait for our new plan to work (another thing on the list to lock down). I’m more pissed that they are so lackadaisical about it all to be honest. All about principle now.

2) All of a sudden everyone else who was laid off and quiet is now up and roaring (yay!) – which means it’s not just me fighting this now, I have help :)

3) One of these guys is checking with his lawyer today — says he’s gotten his money back 100% of the times he’s faught w/ this guy (makes me wonder how often this happens to him? yikes)

Some more responses:

@Corrin – I’m sorry to hear that Corrin :( If you lived closer we could commiserate over a beer!
@Tina – Hey, cool! You guys are fast ;) I still don’t like the site (spent 30 mins and still didn’t find what I was looking for) but I def. appreciate you popping in.
@Jerret – Right. That’s all we want it for is the emergency part. Will add that site to the list we’re currently checking though – thx!
@Jenn – I think you’re right. If not 72 some other number – of which 20 days would DEF be over it.

@Trinnie S – OOOH had NO IDEA USAA had that alliance! Giving them a call tonight!! (Wow, how’d I miss that?)
@sarah – Yes! damn you!! :)
@Evan – I can’t think about ever working for them until they give me my crap. Dang i’m fired up again!!
@Sallie’s Niece – me too :) thx.
@LB – Haha, yeah they’re broke. I did hear about that form while researching yesterday though and it’s also on my list to do. So much man, i’m going bonkers.
@Karmella – It did cross my mind. It also crossed my mind to walk in and hand them the paper face-to-face and see what happens. only i’m insanely busy and would waste hours due to their new location :(
@michelle – Thanks for all the info! Yeah – no HR, just the CEO.
@youngandthrifty – hahahhaa……now THAT is funny :)
@Investing Newbie – They just don’t care about people, pretty plain to see now. bleh.

@Kaye – We will get over it soon :) Guess a good fight every now and then is good for ya.
@Sandy @ yesiamcheap – I like your feistiness! And for sure – no way in hell working there until I get everything back. and even then I doubt it.
@Kyle – Haha… i’m not telling.
@Everyday Tips – Thanks! hope it ends soon.
@LegallyMinded – Thanks for the info! Part of that is already on my list :)
@Jonathan – Yeah, i’m fighting to the end don’t worry.
@shana – Thanks so much!!! all great info, and it helps to hear this stuff a lot too to get me in the right mindset. you rock.
@Sense – We’re in talks with them!! (wife’s school)
@Steph – You said it, not me ;)
@20 and Engaged – no doubt.