Won’t bore you with the details but I’m having serious problems and don’t know what to do or who to turn to
Started working for a friend (local lash artist who I was a regular customer for) around a month ago as a PA. No contract or anything just a low-key cash in hand job as she stated. I just went along with it as a side hustle. She highlighted my role as Instagram content creator. I had a shift and it was great, I picked it up quickly and created some beautiful work! She told me that perks of the job included free lunch on shift days and free eyelashes. It seemed too good to be true but I was chuffed with my new job!
However, red flags started to arise pretty quickly after the first shift when she started cancelling other shifts with silly excuses. I was doing content on and off from home whenever she needed it and she told me to do an hour an evening or so and she’d pay me for whatever I did. A week in she told me that she’s suddenly moving house and that she doesn’t need me for a few weeks. I was more than understanding but I started to feel extremely awkward when she was texting me saying she never should’ve hired me as the move complicates things. She was planning on moving far out and I don’t drive. I told her we’d work it out somehow.
One evening I was booking in a lash appointment or two and I noticed that one appointment required a hefty deposit. Based on the perks of the job as stated, I turned off deposits for my account. Looking back I should’ve asked first but I assumed it was all fine as per what we’d discussed. She went mad at me for it saying I shouldn’t touch the system. I was mortified and apologetic and wish I’d not done it. I told her it was a stupid error and I wouldn’t touch it again. It was an honest mistake that I took ownership for. She told me that she would no longer give me free eyelashes (I hadn’t had any at this point!). I never expected anything anyway (I’d been a paying customer for months) I just went along with whatever she highlighted as perks of the job.
This is when it become worse. She started treating me badly, being blunt with me and cancelling any remaining shifts. For some reason I didn’t see quite how bad it was. I did some work (3 posts) the night before (2-3 hours) and kept her up to date with it and she was happy with it. That week ended up being the week she moved and she told me she wouldn’t need me for a week. I left her to it.
It has been weeks now and since I hadn’t heard anything at all but she was posting constantly on social media, I messaged her and asked how the move was and if there was an update regarding work. She took a whole day to respond in which she was extremely blunt and told me she’s ‘put our agreement on hold due to financial issues and moving ’ and she hopes I understand. I felt fucked over to be honest after I’d been nothing but understanding and helpful. I didn’t respond to that message but did send one stating that there was 2-3 hours work that was unpaid and she could either pay and use them or if she didn’t need them I’d delete them. She never responded and it’s been two days. Instead, shortly after I sent the message she kicked me out of the content account so I can no longer access my work and/or delete the work I was unpaid for. She’s used me and stolen from me essentially.
I’ve been nothing but respectful and understanding and yes maybe I was blind-sighted but I was just doing the job to the best of my ability and being as professional as I could.
I don’t know what to do at this point. I’m owed money and she won’t pay. She’s taken and will most likely use my content. I have evidence from texts before that I did this work and the hours I did. Please be kind I cannot believe I’ve been put in this position. Any advice? Thanks in advance!