30 Times Business Owners Tried To Outsmart People By Posting Job Openings To Get Them To Work For Free

It’s funny when people don’t think s**t all the way through.

10 years ago I got screwed out of several thousand dollars from a contract I was given to write programs to build fracking pumps by a multi billion dollar corporation. Part of the flim flam was the claim that “the project had been cancelled” & somehow they thought that justified them for not paying me for work already done. Years later I’m working for a consulting company hired to help them with the same project. One of my tasks was to edit the “existing programs” they were currently using. I discovered that they were using MY old programs! They hadn’t even bothered to delete the note that stated that I was the program creator and the date the program was done. I showed it to my boss & told him the story. He said I should just forget it since the statute of limitations had passed & there was nothing we could do anyway. And he’s right. I’m just screwed. I am going to comment to the client about how great I think the original programs are just to see if they catch on. Bet they don’t.

Intellectual property is a thing, and you can file suit when someone "steals" your intellectual property and uses it without your permission or compensation. That would apply here.

They were threatening to sue because somethign they stole wasn't working properly??

Sure as soon as you pay me for it fool.

I have a friend of a friend (meet at the friend's parties) that's told me stories of a company trying to hire him to remove the watermark on a logo they are trying to steal for another submission he did.

This is sad and true... i was young, new in the city, and needed a job, so they told me to go for my first day of job, i was all day making brochures and everything, and they always telling me the HR will give me my contract the next day. So day is off, i went to home only to receive a call from them telling me the "boss" wants to hire his nephew for this job, and i'm not longer needed. I was furious.

At least you were smart.

What do they mean by "Purchased every iteration of the URL..." ?

Since they rejected it plus did not pay him I'm pretty sure it's still his copyright.

Do companies not ask applicants for portfolios any more?

Lol it sounds super suspicious when they ask you to make something. Pretty sure that’s what a portfolio is for..

Sadly most animal related jobs take advantage that animals lovers are often willing to work for free. Most places I have worked on exploit this and have mostly "interns" working with the same responsibilities as a worker but no pay.

I was a volunteer in a pet shop that rescues animals, I took the introductory course, they made me a promise that I would interact and play with them, I spent the entire month cleaning their cages, the only interaction was taking them out and putting them inside when I cleaned.

Good on her! So young yet so smart!

Interns are usually exploited with Low or No wages and tons of works dumped on them in the name of experience.

Ozacoter. That is NOT TRUE. Did u do your ‘research’? I owned a clinic for 30 years. It is STANDARD PRACTICE to pay for ANY time worked , STANDARD PRACTICE to provide appropriate uniform and tools and likely lunch as well. Grrr.

Great answer.

These "trial period" jobs are a joke. Many companies hire employees with a 30-90 day probation period. In this time the employee can be terminated at any time for any reason BUT the employee is paid their full wages during this time. Never give your time, energy or skill to a company that won't compensate you for it!

She is not the first, it happened to me, and she won't be the last. Know who YOU are interviewing.

He should of fixed it then undone it right before their eyes.

To go through all that effort just to get someone to fix a bug seems pretty excessive. I'm not so sure about this one.

I would be very careful if doing this. If you are not an employee and there is any complication ( allergic reaction, chipped tooth, etc.) You could be held liable as you are not yet under their insurance. Never underestimate people who will throw you under a bus.

I dunno if it's changed, but in restaurant kitchens the first few probationary shifts are called a stage. (Long a, bc we're classy.) And asking about getting paid might get you laughed out the door. (I'm a FOH person, so someone correct me if I'm off base.)

add a line of superfluous code that can work as a signature to prove you own it, not the company?

All you had to say was Silicon Valley

Was it in the terms of the contest? Because that's usually what those types of contests are for.

for a minute?

Yeah exploitation disguised as a contest with exposure 😒

Yes its very common in lower paying jobs. Some years ago I applied for a job at a plant store and they demanded that i worked 2 days for free before deciding to hire me. Sure...

I once applied for a job. Not alone, there was group of eleven. They told us that they want us to work for free one week, and they choose two candidates who works the best. Hell no.

Wow, they really only need one room cleaned to tell if you were a good cleaner or not.

At least this Xerxes guy can unleash the might of the Persian Empire against these scammers. Wait until the "Immortals" show up at their corporate HQ.

people ...

Some people are just plain s**t.

Horrible person

Forget about to whom she might be entrusting her children's care and wellbeing.

Id have volunteered and then not shown.