Babysitting can be hard work.
Regardless of how delightful the children are, it takes a lot of energy to constantly watch a child, or children, who aren’t yours.
When this woman from Reddit agreed to babysit a stranger’s children for eight hours, she was asked whether $16 an hour was okay. After she agreed, she spent the day watching the children.
Sister sent me this…she was blocked immediately after from r/ChoosingBeggars
Since she wasn’t immediately paid (which is admittedly strange in itself), the babysitter texted the mother to organise a time to pick up the money, $128, she was owed.
But the mother’s reaction was… bizarre.
She completely denied ever negotiating pay, and gaslit the babysitter into thinking she had agreed to watch them for free.
When the babysitter sent a screenshot of the text agreeing to pay her, the mother simply said she sometimes deletes texts, as though that erases the negotiation, before swiftly blocking the young woman.
Let’s look at the facts.
This woman had absolutely no relation to the woman – it was a completely random babysitting job. This was not a murky case of a sister or parent watching the kids for eight hours.
The woman was promised the money, but she was never paid.
The babysitter’s brother posted the bizarre thread on Reddit, eliciting a range of helpful responses from other users.
“You could always do small claims court. Make her pay for all the court fines,” suggested one user.
“CONTACT THE JUDGE JUDY PEOPLE!! They pay for your travel, hotel, AND you get an appearance payment, in addition to whatever settlement you win. Cases like this with clear evidence usually get moved to the front of the line and she loves doing childcare cases,” suggested another.
With the internet on her side, let’s hope this woman gets the money she deserves.
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Top Comments
Why are people upset about the agreed upon amount per hour for the temporary contract position? Shouldn't you be more upset that someone tricked someone else into working for free? How would you feel in that position? This trickery kept this person from finding paid work elsewhere. Seems like there is some confusion on verbal and written agreements, as well as ethics and empathy, here.
Rates are rates. You can charge whatever you like and someone will pay it, because it's about perceived value more than intrinsic most of the time. Marketers know this first hand.
An agreement is something both parties agree to with clearly outlined expectations and responsibilities: a business transaction that has all parties responsible for something. It's best if you have a signed contract, but as someone who has successfully fought for money earned and won, text messages and emails work just fine as proof these days.
The contractor fulfilled her role and the client did not pay by pretending to not have a record of the arrangement, as if that somehow voids the agreement (fact: it doesn't). Just because you don't have a copy of your lease doesn't mean you didn't sign one and it doesn't negate your responsibility to make those payments as per the terms of that agreement.
The contractor could have said her rate was $100 per hour and if someone agrees to pay it for the work to be performed, then has the work performed, they cannot act like the agreement never took place.
Go to your current place of employment with your agreed per hour rate or salary, then have them decide on payday after you've fulfilled your agreement that they no longer wish to pay you, so they don't. How do you feel about that? There is your answer. #Empathy #Ethics #Contracts
This is also why many contractors and small business owners are taking payment in advance and in full with hefty contracts clients must sign. Unfortunately, there are many selfish, entitled people in the world always looking to take something from someone else.
If you are honest and need help, that's one thing. Communicate that and someone out there will feel for you and work with you. I'm one of those people and I know many others who truly empathize with another person's life situation. It takes a village sometimes and that's okay! We all have needs, as it comes with the human condition of being a living thing that is expensive to care for.
However, if you straight up lie and steal, that just makes you a terrible human being.
Just one little thing...you must not have children or used a babysitter. When have you ever heard of a written contract for babysitting? Otherwise I completely agree!
Small Claims Court, this is an easy win, show the judge the text. In the perfect world she won't show up, YOU win, make sure you add interest of the max for your state. Then just wait, let it build then file a lien on her house. Once that is accomplished ask the sheriff to to seize the house for payment. Look up Bank of America Branch seized by creditor. it is great stuff, by the way if this seems extreme, "F" the Bit@h she wanted this.