Push Models Worked an event March 17th, 2 months later still havent been paid Internet, Internet

I am sorry to hear about your experience with PUSH Models.

I too have worked as a promotional model for many years, before getting an internal job at a similar agency. While I have never worked with this company personally, I have worked for about 8 similar companies consistently. Any promotional model that knows this industry will tell you that 30-90 days is NOT uncommon to have to wait for payment. I've even done events for Encore Nationwide, one of the larger staffing companies, and have had to wait 120 days for my check.

Insane, right? Wrong! Agencies are the middle-man and many models do not understand the "business" behind operating a promotional agency. There are many, many reasons why a paycheck can take weeks. First, the agency has to invoice the client and wait for the client to pay. This can take 30 days or longer. If you're dealing with a shifty client, sometimes they pay "whenever they feel like it"... and sometimes they don't pay at all. Some clients do require a mandatory 30-60 days before they pay an invoice. This certainly is not the agency's fault, but the agency always gets the blames. Either way, once the client does pay it still takes the agency time to receive the payment, wait for it to clear (believe it or not, a clients' checks can bounce) and then disburse checks to all the talent for that program. And because most agency accounting departments are small and managing payments for dozens of talent at once, they are usually working on some sort of cycle for disbursing checks.

My point is, there is a PROCESS and it involves more than just writing a quick check to "Mary Jane Doe". Smaller agencies tend to pay quicker but when working with large agencies, you should expect payment to take awhile. Again most promotional models that work in this industry full-time and know the ropes, will tell you that 30 days is the minimum (and 90 days is the max). Once you start working promotions on a regular basis you will learn to adopt a schedule where you have a check or two coming in every month, from events you work 2-3 months ago. That's the nature of the industry and you have to remember that these aren't regular 9-5 jobs; you're a contractor.

HOWEVER every agency is different and if PUSH Models clearly stated in their contract that payment will take 30 days, then you should be paid in 30 days!!! Simple as that. However, I urge you to make sure this is what they stated, before trashing them on the internet. Also, have you tried talking to them reasonably and rationally??? I don't mean sending an emailing saying "where my check???" or calling them with an attitude. That is not going to make them want to help you. Treat them like you want to be treated... professionally. Did they tell you why the check is delayed, or are they simply ignoring you? The best thing to do is try to work with them if they've stated that there is a legitimate delay. Ultimately your goal is to get your check and you certainly don't want to piss them off. If they have simply ignored you and you are certain that they stated "payment will be made 30 days from the date of the event", then you should definitely take action!!! It's their own fault for underestimating and not planning for any issues. I'd hate to think the reason they haven't paid is because they are just a CRAPPY agency (lol), in which you'd definitely want to lawyer up!

The policy for the agency I work states that we issue payment within 60 days of the event. Most times we pay sooner, but we make sure that we give our clients ample time and that we give ourselves ample time for any unexpected delays. My recommendation to you is to contact the Better Busines Bureau (BBB) in Scottsdale, AZ, where PUSH Models is headquartered. File a complaint immediately and this should get you some results. If by chance this does not work, you may have to contact the Secretary of State in AZ. If all else fails, filing a civil suit in AZ is the final resort and you can certainly sue for your owed wages and attorney fees. But I think the BBB will definitely help without all of the extra efforts; it's their job.

I would also recommend NOT trashing PUSH Models anywhere on the internet (including Facebook, review sites, etc). This is the absolute worst thing to do, it will not help you at all and you could very well be setting YOURSELF up for a lawsuit. Let's say you're wrong and you didn't read all of the fine print (which I have seen many times at the agency I work for), or you didn't send in the required payment paperwork, or they have the wrong address on file for you. It could be an innocent mistake but, you've just slandered their name across the internet. They can turn around and sue you for libel... and will most certainly win! If you think an agency won't go thru the trouble of suing little ol' you, think again. Their reputation is too important, they most likely have the money to hire the attorney and they really don't have much to lose by suing you. Any agency will much rather make you an example, than let you talk trash about them. Additionally, the agency I work for works with alot of young, sometimes irresponsible, simple-minded promotional models that are usually fresh out of high school and NOT the best at paying attention to details. Sometimes their gripes are a result of not following instructions or reading important information. Again, if this is not a legit complaint and you've trashed them for no reason, you've set yourself up for a lawsuit. Plus, this is a small industry, everyone knows everyone and other agencies reps could also be watching (hince my comment on this forum). Nobody wants to work with a model that is unprofessional and resorts to an internet smear campaign, regardless of the circumstance. Keep it civil, professional and resolve it the LEGAL way to protect yourself. If you're owed money and you're right, you can definitely get the money you're owed.

Good luck!

Its now May 15th and I still have not been paid for the event I worked on March 17th, 2012.