Fool Me Once Is Enough
I don’t think I’m a stingy or narrow-minded person. But being paid less than minimum wage, constantly taken advantage of, and then insulted for my work — that’s something I simply cannot accept.
I worked for this cabinet company for a month. They messaged me at any hour of the day, and their clients did the same, yet they still called it a “part-time job.” I even worked on Sundays and local public holidays. Working from home doesn’t mean I’m doing nothing. Besides giving quotations and answering calls, I also built a website for them. I paid for the server, the domain (I even created a sub-domain for them), and the hosting. None of this was counted as part of my work. When I asked for payment, they refused and insulted me by saying, “No one checks your website!!” I stayed calm and didn’t respond.
But when it came to commission, I had to fight for my rights. I asked: if a client refuses to pay the balance for reasons that aren’t my fault, will my commission be reduced? They said, “Yes, because the company didn’t receive the payment, so you won’t get paid.” That is unbelievably unfair. It’s their responsibility to chase payments. If it’s a quality issue, why should I suffer? If shipment is delayed and the client asks for compensation, why should I suffer? If the client stalls, why should I suffer?
I didn’t want to waste time arguing. I told them that if we couldn’t reach an agreement, it was better to stop. The amount they paid me was already an insult. I accepted the job only because of Ginger 🐱 and Cross 🐱. I didn’t expect stress and unhappiness. Yet in the last four weeks, I was insulted multiple times 😠, and stressed by their “any time” calls and messages. They don’t understand the difference between partners and employees. And now I see why people who came from China to work for them left sooner than expected.
When a client asked for a quotation for a wood island countertop, I asked my boss about it. He said, “Depends on the type of wood.” I mentioned my dining table is pinewood, 5 cm thick. He insulted me by saying, “Pinewood is too cheap and low quality compared to plywood.” What?! Pinewood is not better than plywood? I didn’t argue, but I know he doesn’t know what he’s talking about. If he wanted to quote in plywood from the start, why not just say so? Why say “depends on the type of wood”? I doubt he has experience with wood countertops. But never mind — “Stupid is as stupid does.”
Another client asked for a sliding door. I checked with my boss’s partner to confirm whether the company even handled door projects — flush doors or sliding doors. When she said “sliding door?” I sent a picture of my own as an example. She replied, “Oh, this kind of cheap stuff we don’t do.” Again — why insult me? Why can’t they learn to respect people?
After all these insults, my enthusiasm is gone. Working for people with no respect is no fun at all. Not to mention how little they paid me (USD 217). The commission was only 3%. If a client doesn’t pay the balance, that 3% isn’t even enough to buy a small bucket of paint. When someone brags about how much they spend on dinner but is stingy about USD 55, no sensible person would want to work with them.
Perhaps this is better for my health anyway. I was fooled once. I won’t be fooled again. I learned my lesson. But I’m not focusing only on the bad side — even though I’m ranting here. This past month, I learned how to command AI to generate the images I want, and how to use AI to create catalogues. I’ll keep learning new things and improving my skills. Whether they come in handy or not, I believe that if I keep learning, I won’t get dementia 🧠
#BadBoss #ToxicWorkCulture #UnderpaidAndOverworked #FightForMyRights #RespectMatters #KnowYourWorth