What happened to Emily could happen to you. Emily is a 40-something professional with an outstanding resume. Unfortunately, the company she worked for on contract went belly-up twice in one year.

Listen to the show and/or read more below.

The first time led to a six-month lay-off, but she was paid up-to-date. Belly-up II resulted in company restructuring – a euphemism for “We don’t intend to pay what we owe.”

Dealing with Deadbeat Employers

Employees were fired without notice, and Emily was still owed $400. She was instructed to work when they knew they couldn’t pay. Four hundred is not a huge sum, but Emily believes that every dollar is worth fighting for. The new “president” (small p – mercurial, 35 and a former part-time worker) had promised to pay. Emily sent emails. He wrote back pleading poverty. But her final email got his attention. Emily wrote:

“Three months have passed since you last promised delivery of a check in the sum of $400 for work undertaken for your company.

“This is abusive behavior. You should realize that your own self-interest is served by honoring this debt.

“As for any future association with your company, thanks but no thanks.”

The president called her within five minutes. He stated, “We’ll settle on Tuesday. Come to our new office on the second floor. We want you to sign a release letter.” The address was an upscale neighborhood. If the company had money for a new office in a great location, why didn’t they paid her during the intervening months?

Taking no chances, Emily confirmed the date and location by email while still on the call.

Warning Sign: The president then told her to meet him in the front of the building, rather than in the new office .

Bizarre, but Emily wanted her money. Perhaps the new office was tiny, and he didn’t want her to see it.

Here’s what transpired.

Emily arrived at the front of the building at the appointed hour to collect her overdue check. She waited, and waited…and waited. No president. She tried entering the building. The company’s name wasn’t listed, and there was no way to gain entry without a code. She phoned numerous companies listed on the door. No one answered.

Finally, after 20 minutes of pacing and dialing, one of the ground-level tenants let her into the building. The “restructured” company didn’t appear on the paper roster taped to the first floor wall. She took the elevator to the second floor and asked those she encountered if they knew the company. Nada. By now, she was upset and angry – feeling utterly abused by the situation and all players involved. That’s when she chanced on a sign with the company name.

She opened the door and saw the president happily chatting at his desk. Emily raised her voice (men raise their voices, women shout, or so men would often have us believe):  “How could you leave me out there?”

The Bully: The president responded with the following tirade, “How dare you shout at me. You’re psychotic and I want nothing more to do with you.” Yes, he used such a hideous word to demean a professional woman and five years of loyal service to the company. He set up the conflict, doubted that she would find him, but once she did he was a regular King Kong.

Threats: The president added: “If you say another word, I’m phoning the police to have you arrested for trespassing.” He started to dial.

Emily considered the alternatives. Conflict vs check. Police vs $400. She would naturally tell the police to review his email – where the meeting was confirmed for the office, not the pavement downstairs. She could then have sued him and what remained of the company for false arrest.

But she understood the type of person she was dealing with. So she said flatly, “Let’s finish this” and then spoke as little as possible. Best offense in dealing with bullies – speak little, leave quickly.

“What do I owe you?” he asked (as if he didn’t know), “A hundred dollars?” Mean and meaner. That’s how bullies behave. Emily answered in two words. “Four hundred.”

Then he said, “I didn’t prepare the release letter yet.” Right. He didn’t prepare it, because he never expected to see her – certain that she would leave when he didn’t show up on the pavement outside.

He finally typed up the letter, wrote the check and Emily departed – a crescendo for five years of loyal service and a bitter pill to swallow. But she had her money. Fortunately, Emily’s bank allowed late check cashing at the after-hours window.

She had something else as well. The new president with a small p handed her the original of the release letter. He mistakenly kept the copy.

But the one thought on her mind as she drove home was: If it happened to me, it could happen to anyone. Let us know if/when does.

Emily’s motto – don’t get even until you have the cash in hand.

Emily knew that the only way to handle a bully is to stand up to the person. What does standing up mean? You don’t have to respond in kind. For the bully to win, Emily had to leave without her money. But the bully lost.

You have to keep a cool head when dealing with a bully. It’s hard to do, because bullies are skilled at bringing out an emotional response. Leaving Emily on the sidewalk and calling her psychotic was part of his attack. But she outsmarted him.

Most important: If an employer owes you money, don’t give up.

Be an Emily!

To your right to be paid!

Dr. Joyce Starr

Dealing with Deadbeat Employers – Deadbeat Bullies. How to Get Paid. originally appeared on Rights Radio™ with Dr. Joyce Starr - An Independent Voice on September 2, 2010.

Kathleen Murphy began her career as staff technologist in the Nuclear Cardiology Department at Yale-New Haven Hospital. She remained at Yale for 11 years, working in a variety of positions: research technologist, assistant chief technologist, clinical coordinator, and finally program director. In 1996 the program director position was moved to Gateway Community College and she moved with the position. Kathleen is currently Faculty Coordinator of Distance Learning at Gateway CC, and she also teaches two business courses per semester.

Interview Highlights:

Nuclear Scanner

1. The nuclear technology arena is dominated by women. With pay scales running over $30 per hour, the field provides economic security in uncertain times.
2. Competition is stiff – requiring strong scientific and mathematical skills.
3. Most people confuse nuclear medicine with nuclear power. Nuclear medicine is not only safe – closely regulated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission – but can be life-saving. PET scans detect and merge both functional and anatomical data.
4. Unfortunately, nuclear medicine scans can be relatively expensive as compared to some other diagnostic tests and reimbursement for doctors are low. Therefore, your doctor may be reluctant to prescribe a PET scan (versus a CAT scan, for example). Kathleen Murphy explains why it’s vital that you understand your nuclear technology options.
5. Gateway Community College Connecticut offers entry-level training in nuclear medicine technology. Kathleen provides program contact information during the show.

Click the play button below to listen (15 minutes):

More from Kathleen Murphy:

I have been a nuclear medicine technologist since 1985. After researching a variety of medical careers I decided to pursue nuclear medicine technology because it combined my interests in patient care, anatomy and physiology, and computer technology. I was also excited about the continuous learning that I would have to engage in due to the rapidly changing technology, radio-pharmaceuticals, and procedures. I can honestly say that I’ve never been bored!

I received an Associates of Science degree from Gateway Community College in New Haven, CT and I immediately transferred to the University of New Haven for the completion a BS degree in Health Administration. I worked full-time at Yale-new Haven Hospital as a nuclear medicine technologist, and I took courses part-time in the evening towards my BS degree. Yale paid 85% of my tuition! I graduated from UNH in 1995, entered the graduate program at UNH and completed a Masters of Science degree in Health Administration in 1998.

So what do all those initials after my name stand for? I earned the credentials CNMT (certified nuclear medicine technologist) and NCT (nuclear cardiology technologist) by passing exams offered by a national certifying organization known as the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board (NMTCB, www.nmtcb.org). I served on the Board of Directors of the NMTCB for 8 years, and was the Chairman of the Board in 2003-2004. I also passed the nuclear medicine exam offered by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT, www.arrt.org), so I am a registered technologist in nuclear medicine (RTN).

Finally, in June of 2004 I was inducted as a Fellow in the Society of Nuclear Medicine Technologist Section (FSNMTS). This is an honor that is bestowed to individuals who have served the profession of nuclear medicine technology at the national, local and regional levels. The Society of Nuclear Medicine is the professional organization for nuclear medicine (www.snm.org ).

I highly recommend the career of nuclear medicine technology to anyone who wants to make a difference in a patient’s day by providing high quality care. I thoroughly enjoyed providing physicians with the information they needed to make accurate diagnoses that may have ultimately changed the course of a patient’s treatment plan and affected their quality of life. You can find more information about accredited nuclear medicine technology programs in your area on the Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Nuclear Medicine Technology’s web site: www.jrcnmt.org.

Do you have questions for Kathleen Murphy? Feel free to use our comment form below.

To your future!

Dr. Joyce Starr

Rights Radio Honors Women in Nuclear Medicine – Nuclear Technology originally appeared on Rights Radio™ with Dr. Joyce Starr - An Independent Voice on March 28, 2010.

We’re pleased to advise our audience that Karen Gantz Lit and Starr Publishing have joined forces to offer a VIP Coaching Program for Exceptional Authors. Call 305-349-3470 for further information. Leave a detailed message regarding your book and your contact information.

Superchefs by Karen Gantz Zahler

Karen Gantz is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and the Cardozo Law School where she was elected to the Law Review. She’s also written two acclaimed cookbooks, Taste of New York (Addison-Wesley 1993) and Superchefs Signature Recipes from America’s New Royalty, (Wiley & Sons, 1997). An accomplished amateur chef, she adapted master recipes from America’s finest chefs, including Wolfgang Puck, Emeril Lagasse, Daniel Boulud, Grey Kunz, Jean Georges Vongericthen and Charlie Trotter.

Karen served on a Presidential Advisory Committee on Intellectual Property, is a member of the Board of Trustees of New York’s prestigious Harmony Club and chairs the Club’s Literary and Media Committee where best-selling authors are invited to speak.

She’s involved in all stages of the publishing process, including:  collaboration agreement with the writer, consultations on the book proposal, presentations to the publisher, negotiating the the publishing agreement and other rights, and coordination with both the publisher and the publisher’s public relations firm to ensure the book gets the best possible media exposure.

Karen Gantz Represents Alec Baldwin, Kathleen Turner & Other Celebrity Authors

TOPIC: It’s considerably more difficult for aspiring authors to be published by the mainstream press today than it was only a few years ago. Yet, many new (and even experienced) authors have a sense of entitlement based on a proposal or chapters that they’ve worked on for extended periods. They view promotion as the agent and publisher’s responsibility. They’re wrong! As Karen explains, proposals must include a compelling concept and excellent business plan that demonstrates a strong public platform. Authors must also avoid critical mistakes in meetings with publishers.

Karen stated: “You may only have one bite at the apple. So many authors need major restructuring of their proposals or books, and that’s why we’ve joined forces with Dr. Joyce Starr. Our dream client is a great listener.”

Living in New York, Karen meets with editors weekly, identifying those editors who are hands-on editors and are the most passionate advocates for her authors. Few people understand the extensive hours involved in her work as both a literary agent and attorney — including the time involved in reaching publishers, making a pitch, following up and negotiating a contract.

How to Listen: If you’re an author, don’t miss this interview! Click the play button below.

To your publishing success,

Dr. Joyce Starr

Advice for Aspiring Authors: Literary Agent Karen Gantz & Dr. Joyce Starr originally appeared on Rights Radio™ with Dr. Joyce Starr - An Independent Voice on October 30, 2009.

630,000 workers aged 55-and-up joined the workforce last year. But the Equal Employment Opportunity Office reports that age discrimination cases & complaints were up by nearly 30 percent during the same period.

Last week, 146 lawyers signed a letter challenging White House claims that fired Inspector General Gerald Walpin was “confused and disoriented.” The signatories included: three former federal judges, a former Attorney General of the United States, a former Counsel to the President and a former NY Police Commissioner.

“We have known Mr. Walpin as a leading member of the New York Bar for many years. Many of us have seen and heard him speak, including at this month’s meeting of the Second Circuit Judicial Conference and last week’s meeting of the Board of the Federal Bar Council …We note that the signers of this letter include both Republicans and Democrats … But all of us are unanimous in affirming Mr. Walpin’s integrity and competence.”

Gerald Walpin was the first recipient of the American Inns of Court Professionalism Award in the Second Circuit, is counsel to Katten Muchin Zavis Rosenman, and a senior partner of the predecessor firm of Rosenman & Colin for more than thirty years. He was Chairman of the Firm’s Litigation Department for fifteen years.

How to Listen: Click the play arrow at the end of the page to hear the streaming audio. You can also hear the show on our Self-Help Hour page.

Here’s the background on this case from the Associated Press.

“President Obama swept to office on the promise of a new kind of politics, but then how do you explain last week’s dismissal of federal Inspector General Gerald Walpin for the crime of trying to protect taxpayer dollars? This is a case that smells of political favoritism and Chicago rules.”  

“A George W. Bush appointee, Mr. Walpin has since 2007 been the inspector general for the Corporation for National and Community Service, the federal agency that oversees such subsidized volunteer programs as AmeriCorps. In April 2008 the Corporation asked Mr. Walpin to investigate reports of irregularities at St. HOPE, a California nonprofit run by former NBA star and Obama supporter Kevin Johnson. St. HOPE had received an $850,000 AmeriCorps grant, which was supposed to go for three purposes: tutoring for Sacramento-area students; the redevelopment of several buildings; and theater and art programs.

“Mr. Walpin’s investigators discovered that the money had been used instead to pad staff salaries, meddle politically in a school-board election, and have AmeriCorps members perform personal services for Mr. Johnson, including washing his car.”

Read the entire article here.

Streaming Audio!

Boomers in condo associations & HOAs: Learn how to protect your homeowners rights.

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To your employment rights,

Gerald Walpin & Age Discrimination Cases: First Shots “Fired” at Boomers & Older Workers? originally appeared on Rights Radio™ with Dr. Joyce Starr - An Independent Voice on June 23, 2009.