Take note: when an assistant is calling you on an invoice, no matter how polite we may seem on the phone, we’ve got a mantra of “pay me, you fucking asshole!” on repeat, in the back of our heads. Especially, those of you out there who don’t appear to be tightening your own belts. I should feel sympathy for you, who just bought a “faster” engine for your RACING PORSCHE?!?! (GFY Carl) Why should we be the assholes, for expecting to be paid for services rendered? Balls on these clowns.

I’d like to think my days of assisting are numbered. Not because I don’t like assisting. Quite the contrary, I love my job. I am damn good at it, too. But no way am I going to be on the phones at 50, asking form my $350. Like many assistants, I shoot little jobs, once in a while. I don’t get an assistant unless I can pay them. Simple as that. I will never be “that guy”.

/rant

what you don’t get is that you get a portfolio piece after the fact!! you may not have been paid but you still got something out of it!!!!! the crew that you regret paying ahead of time would have got nothing had you not paid them!! pretty sad buddy!!

Jeremy

i here ya!! been there but not that bad!!! It sure doesn’t pay to be the nice guy …….i must add you pay the fastest of them all!

Times are Tough

i understand were you are coming from but you need to contact your employees to let them know this ahead of time. also must be able to pay out of there own pocket if need be after 60 days. Only acceptable if spoken to previous!!!!! Money is the most awkward thing to talk about to me and many others …just keep that in mind

P.S. i would also like to know who u are ??……but i think i already know!!

To most of the photographers

Doing it as an apprenticeship isn’t what all assistants do. I teach more then a photographer teaches me!! thats why im busy and some are not. Do you really want someone learning while on your $140,000 campaign or handling the files your $500.00 editorial gig. This is a full time job and i need to pay bills too and doesn’t help having jackasses saying its just a intern or apprenticeship

http://gregceoblog.com/paying-your-assistants-on-time#comments

I’ve been talking to this fellow about this topic. About five years ago, I tried to be an adult, and I got all my insurance in order, and tried to learn about Workmans Comp, and Payroll, and “employer of record”, (and then, I got really boring at parties). Anyway, we started doing withholding on Assistants at that time. I’m betting I’m about one in a million doing it, nationwide, but I’d be curious if others are. The whole topic is a Giant Grey Mess, and one that’s not sorted out easily.

The big question is: Is a freelance assistant an Independent Contractor, or are they a Part Time Employee.

Here is this mystery list of Twenty Questions:

http://ohioline.osu.edu/cd-fact/1179.html

(Note that even here, the words “may be an employee” are used).

Whatever the case, I still don’t know the official government ruling on it, but I’ve not met one other photographer that takes out taxes on freelance assistants. To me, when I read those Twenty Questions, almost all of them apply to freelance assistants, therefore, to me, making them part time employees.

Complex stuff. I wish somebody would just announce a firm policy.

“Assistants move some gear around, go home and have a beer.”
and theeeeeeeen:

“I’m not at all diminishing what an assistant provides.”

Wait wait – “Assistants move some gear around, go home and have a beer.”

I love you. Who cleaned your toilet? Me. Who gave your squirmy client a tampon? Oh yeah, thaaaaat’d be me. I can’t afford beer.

“Bottom line, if it comes down to keeping my lights on or having an assistant (or stylist, or whoever) get paid in 90 days instead of 5 days… I’ll choose keeping my lights on every time.”

No one said anything about getting paid in five days. Who ever gets paid in five days? Even regular 9-5 people get paid every two weeks. Asking to be paid in 30 days is not unreasonable. One month. 30 days. One month. I’m no businessologist but if your electricity is getting cut off then you’re doing something wrong. I don’t have to say anything else about this because someone else did it better “A line of credit, with a fair interest rate, should keep you from having to turn your lights out.”

“I guess you’re saying assistants should be immune to the downturn and get everything they would in good times and not need to make tough business decisions.”

Who said that? Where did anyone say that? Going from working 4 days a week to working 0-2 isn’t being “immune to the downturn.” The recession has effected everyone in the industry. If I’m hardly working, how can I say no to work? Like the other guy said, “I’d rather work and be paid in 90 days than not work at all.” No one has ever told me that I’ll be waiting 90 days to be paid. It’s only AFTER the job is done do I hear that. And by “hear that” I mean “when I call and ask them where my money is.” If all the people you hire on a regular basis know that you take a long time to pay, do you think they like it? Maybe when they go get that beer after they “move some gear around” you won’t get invited. :(

If your assistant is making more than you on an editorial gig, hire a cheaper assistant. Or like this fellow said: “If a photographer’s bread and butter is editorial and his or her assistants are consistently making more money, then maybe he or she needs to reassess.”

Ms. Rebecca “let’s see if I become a waitress after I post this” Baran

“If you hear it enough times – I can’t pay you until I get paid – you start to convince yourself that this is the way business is done. Immediately after reading the post I made a couple of email money transfers. I hope others were ‘inspired’ to do the same. The last thing I want to aid in is a good assistant’s decision to stop assisting and then to start working in another industry.”

I think that sums it up.

Warm regards,
Rebecca Baran