Renewal by Andersen owes me money
Wednesday, October 7, 2009 Soon after I was outsourced from the newspaper, I was contracted by Chelsea Welsh of Renewal by Andersen (many of you know her) to serve as editor of a lifestyle magazine Renewal planned to kick off in May 2009. I made sure the contract for myself, my writers and my photographer all included kill fees because of the wacky economic climate in which we live, especially for print publications.
Well, we (my writers, photographer and I) did all the work for which we were contracted; I delivered it to Chelsea in March ... then in June, she cancelled the publication for economic reasons. Because of the kill fee clause, the writers and photographer were paid -- but I wasn't, despite having the very same kill fee in effect.
After several months of trying to collect, even contacting the owner of Renewal and the BBB, I was getting nowhere and communication from Chelsea with me had ceased.
So I contacted Angela Hoy, owner of Booklocker.com, publisher of Writers Weekly (the highest-circulation freelance writing e-zine in the world) and longtime defender of the rights of freelancers. She graciously took up my cause and did her best to resolve the issue. It didn't work.
Angela has included a full report on the situation in the weekly "Whispers and Warnings" section of her publication. Here is the link:
Complaint about Renewal by Andersen
Please read it and let me know what you think. I consider it an egregious act of greed when the Renewal by Andersen corporate coffers are overflowing yet they refuse to pay me the paltry (to them!) couple thousand bucks they legally owe me.
Reader Comments (2)
I only just now read the full thread of e-mails between you guys and Renewal. I can't believe they're being such assholes. The publication was canceled MONTHS after all of those deadlines, and you have every right to expect (DEMAND) payment.
Yep ... !