freelancequest
Junior Member
What is the name of your state? New York
I have been working as a freelancer full-time for the past seven months at a media corporation. As my temporary project was ending at one publication, I was approached with a great opportunity at another publication at the same company. For various reasons, the process of applying / interviewing / testing for the position took nearly three months. During that time I patiently stayed in my low-paying position, without benefits and little chance of being hired permanently.
Then, I was informed that because I had reached a threshold of hours for the year with the corporation, I could not start the new, well-paying freelance position at the other publication. Apparently, after you work 1100 hours the company rule (to avoid legal action, apparently) you have to either leave or be hired as permanent staff. However, I had never been informed of any such rule about a maximum number of hours I could work. I never had a contract or any knowledge whatsoever that my decision to stay in my position would prevent me from getting another one in the future.
As a result, I will now not only be unemployed, but I also wasted three months when I could have been making much more money at another job--or at least seeking employment at a company where I would be eligible to work. Human resources, after all, was first to approach me about the new job anyway. I could only have assumed I was eligible to work at the company. The people at the new job really want to hire me, but can't because of this corporate policy that I was never informed about and has obviously cost me a considerable amount of money. They are not allowed to hire me right now for a staff position because of recent layoffs at the company. Is there anything I can do?
I have been working as a freelancer full-time for the past seven months at a media corporation. As my temporary project was ending at one publication, I was approached with a great opportunity at another publication at the same company. For various reasons, the process of applying / interviewing / testing for the position took nearly three months. During that time I patiently stayed in my low-paying position, without benefits and little chance of being hired permanently.
Then, I was informed that because I had reached a threshold of hours for the year with the corporation, I could not start the new, well-paying freelance position at the other publication. Apparently, after you work 1100 hours the company rule (to avoid legal action, apparently) you have to either leave or be hired as permanent staff. However, I had never been informed of any such rule about a maximum number of hours I could work. I never had a contract or any knowledge whatsoever that my decision to stay in my position would prevent me from getting another one in the future.
As a result, I will now not only be unemployed, but I also wasted three months when I could have been making much more money at another job--or at least seeking employment at a company where I would be eligible to work. Human resources, after all, was first to approach me about the new job anyway. I could only have assumed I was eligible to work at the company. The people at the new job really want to hire me, but can't because of this corporate policy that I was never informed about and has obviously cost me a considerable amount of money. They are not allowed to hire me right now for a staff position because of recent layoffs at the company. Is there anything I can do?
