Hi Moms!
I took on a new babysitting job a couple weeks ago. The lady and I had an agreement that I would work 8-12 hrs a day and the pay would be $100/day. She didn't pay after 2 days. She had known my schedule well ahead of time, that I had other jobs that were contracted 2 years ago and she understood I would leave early. She called me up a few days ago and said she was going to write me a check and give to me on Monday when I was suppose to go to work for her. When I gently reminded her the amount, which was 2 days and I work 18 hours, the flat fee was $100/day. She was hesitated and said that's not what we agreed on, yet I have all the proof in E-mail's. I told her it was $200 total and she knew my other jobs and when I had to leave. She tried to say I worked different hours than what I was there for. I didn't argue I was very nice with the lady. I'm not one to fight or to argue. Anyhow; she said that she wasn't going to need my nanny services anymore and she would send the check in the mail on Monday, even though I wanted to do this in person. I never like to get money or checks through the mail, seeing how I live in an apartment. Anyways.....I went for an interview today for a new family and we had a great interview and the lady scheduled me to work this Thursday, little did I know; that previous lady I worked for was stalking me! She was outside and she went up to the lady I just interviewed and told her I was not mature, not attentive to her son and I had issues with her!!!! I found all this out via email by the lady I just interview with today and I rang her up and now she is no longer using me because of this wacko lady going around saying rude things. I am very worried she is going to stalk me further with the rest of my jobs and interviews. I didn't know this lady was at the place I was interviewing at and nor did I find all of this out till just a half-hour ago.
What can I do? I have a feeling this lady is a little crazy (the previous employer). She has super high anxiety too. She would text and call all day long while I was working for her too. I've never ever had a problem with my work ethics and I work with 5 or 6 different families per a month and they all love me. Should I call the cops if she is following me around? She does know my address and the place where I went to interview was in walking distance as well. I'm very nervous about this. I even offered the new lady I interviewed for today references. I have about 5 or 6 references that are solid. I've worked with children in school systems, day cares, nanny/babysitting and in other job forms. No one has ever complained. I'm very surprised and scared at the same time. How do I know she's not going to be at the same place again when I have the next interview? Or if she is still going to send the money she owes? I have a strong feeling she is going to go to my leasing office where I live and complain about me. I just have a weird feeling about this one! I have never been in this sort of situation with work related.
Thanks!
Any advice would be great!
Update: I just talked to the previous lady I worked for as the lady who I interviewed described her and her looks...she said she worked all day and wouldn't do that and wasn't at the place I was interviewing and how would she know when I was interviewing....hmm.....weird, but I don't watch anyone else who had a little boy. All the families I've worked for have girls or don't fit the description given to me.
Agh another update.......: the lady and I have been texting back and forth (the lady I worked for)...and she seems sincere like she really didn't say anything, but I can't be too sure. I am beginning to wonder if I have a different stalker on my hands. Is it possible that the lady that approached my potential new job is a nut job or has me confused with someone who was similar features as I do? is this possible? I did take a look around the area I was interviewing before and after and I did not notice anyone that I might have known. Suggestions? Should I still notify the cops?
Update (yes again!) as of 10/25: Well, I received another email from the lady I interviewed with yesterday. She said that this woman said I sat for her son two years ago and I was immature and a bunch of other BS LOL. I have my list of clients from two years ago; none of them have I left in a negative way or anything. Most of my clients from 2 years ago still use me on a general basis! I called the police and they weren't any help of course. They said it might have been some random person whom overheard our conversation, my name and what I was there for. Maybe it was some sicko trying to get the job instead? I'm not sure..but the police were no help. So now, I will no longer conduct interviews at that place. I have a weird feeling that whomever that lady was, knows where I live now and has seen my car/license plate as well. I told the police and they just told me to be out on the look-out. Its very strange; because I just moved to the area--so there is no way I could have watched her son two years ago. I assume there is nothing more I can do about this.
No way. It was her. People who do what she did are very good liars. Wow, call the police and find out if it's enough to file a report. I doubt it. But since you confronted her, hopefully she'll back off.
Wow.
This whole thing is too weird.
I would make a police report, but keep in mind that the police will think this is all weird daycare drama too.
Try to keep your emotions out of it.
State the facts.
Supply copies of e-mails.
Provide addresses for the former employer and the prospective employer.
Let the police check into it.
You may have no recourse with the woman who won't hire you because of the weirdness. She doesn't want any of that in her life. You can't blame her.
She doesn't even have to care who to believe. She'll be on to the next applicant.
However, if she will identify the other woman as the one who approached her, it sounds like you should be able to get a restraining order.
I would tell the police, "Look, I don't even want the money she owes me, I just want her to leave me alone."
If you have a solid police report, you should have no trouble getting a restraining order.
If she violates the order in any way, she can be prosecuted.
Write off her debt. Write off the prospective employer. That ship's been sunk.
Just move on from here trying to protect yourself.
Now that you've called her out, she may just leave things alone, but I would file a police report anyway.
Best wishes.
.
Okay first, you can sue her for defamation of character since this cost you a job, especially if she does it again, so be sure you file a report every time it happens and document it. Second, I would call the non-emergency police or drive to the police station and file a report on her for harassment and following you. If she is following you and you witness it, yes, call the cops.
As for the apartment issue, I had a former roommate do this to me. I went to my apartment manager and told her what was going on before the nutcase had a chance to ruin me there.
Hi, Dancer84:
Did you have anything in writing?
Are you going to draft an agreement the
next time?
What is your hourly rate?
Draft an agreement that spells out
Days to work
Hourly rate
Hours to work each day
What are the consequences if
agreement not kept
Length of time to be employed
etc
Protect yourself up front
There are some unkind people out there
who want something for nothing.
You will need to learn how to screen people
for your own safety.
Good luck.
D.
Give up on getting this lady to hire you. Even if she did, there would always be this issue.
Get a restraining order tomorrow. Seriously. The police HAVE to investigate and will nip this in the bud. I was stalked by a relative who I got a restraining order against. The police were awesome and know how to deal with mentally ill people.
And give her x days to get that check to you then thell her pay right now or I will file a claim in small claims court and you will also have court costs.
Stop communicating with this woman. Hopefully, if it was her (and it probably was) she will know you are on to her and will stop. If she stalks you again, get a restraining order and change your cell #. Don't feed her craziness - that's what she wants/needs! Find a new job and make sure you write up a solid contract including what is expected of you and them.
She sounds very mentally unstable. I would surely call the police department to report it, they may have reports on her from before you. I would make sure that you tell everyone you are friends with what this lady looks like and to make sure to let you know if they see her where you are.
I would also say that you could have a friend follow you to other appointments and watch to see if she shows up, or someone else. You might make some phony interviews too, see what happens, if she shows up after you leave they could have her on tape or video, something with a positive ID so you could perhaps press charges.
I always got my job that were with individuals in writing too. The conversation went something like this:
"I just wanted to make sure I remembered right, we agreed to $XX per day or was it $XX per hour, I word several jobs you know and just want to make sure I didn't get confused" once they confirm the amount and their expectations I show them and say something like, could you initial this just so I know we discussed it?
Always document everything that happens with this wacko. Carry a notebook with you to document the date, time, and describe the situation. It's also helpful if you have a cell phone that can record her moves, maybe even carry a camcorder with you. Unfortunately, restraining orders are only honored by sane people..you may have to pack some iron if this doesn't stop.
I would file a police report so this is on record. Follow Shane's advice on how to approach this. Some states have anti-stalking laws that might help. Overall, from my experience, I doubt that the police will be able to do anything. The might take a report, for the record.
But, it really does sound like this will be a case of "he said, she said." Of course, she would deny doing this. With just one incident I doubt that you could get a restraining order.
And an anti-defamation suite would be time consuming and costly. Yes, you can file but again it would be your word against hers.
I would be proactive and talk with the apartment manager now just in case. And be take along some letters of recommendation to the interviews so that they can immediately see that you have good references. I would not mention this incident in interviews but I would mention it to your landlord.
Since you have, in writing, what the agreement is, you can take her to Small Claims court. You need to decide if it's worth your time to do so.
I don't think you need to be a detective to figure this one out.
Your recently-ex-employer just sabotaged your interview and she lied about it. You can't do anything about it unless or until she does it again so all you can do is be passive but productive: keep a journal of all contact with her, save e-mails, voice-mails, and write down everything with the dates of what happened recently with her and the new interviewer. Next time you see her, try to subtlety take a photo of her with your cell phone so that if this does happen again you can have people id her.
I would also kiss the $200+ goodbye. You're not going to see a penny of it. It's not even worth taking to small claims court.
