15TH COMPLAINT ABOUT SHAKESPEARE SQUARED!
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: FIFTEENTH COMPLAINT about Kim Kleeman / Shakespeare Squared / ShakespeareSquared.com / The Shakespeare Squared Foundation
Date: Thu, 04 Feb 2010 14:50:34 -0500
From: Angela Hoy
To:
PR@ShakespeareSquared.com,
BCarroll@ShakespeareSquared.com,
info1@ShakespeareSquared.com,
info1@ShakespeareSquared.com,
LWasilewski@ShakespeareSquared.com,
JAltun@ShakespeareSquared.com,
TSimpson@ShakespeareSquared.com,
VOlson@ShakespeareSquared.com
February 4, 2010
Kim Kleeman, President/CEO -
PR@ShakespeareSquared.com
Beth Carroll, Project Manager -
BCarroll@ShakespeareSquared.com,
info1@ShakespeareSquared.com,
info1@ShakespeareSquared.com
Laura Wasilewski, Digital Media Manager -
LWasilewski@ShakespeareSquared.com
Juliet Altun, Financial Director -
JAltun@ShakespeareSquared.com
Terese Simpson, Project Coordinator II -
TSimpson@ShakespeareSquared.com
Valerie Olson, Editorial & Project Management Assistant -
VOlson@ShakespeareSquared.com
Shakespeare Squared / ShakespeareSquared.com
The Shakespeare Squared Foundation
Shakespeare Squared
626 Academy Dr
Northbrook, IL 60062
Phone 847.998.0535 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 847.998.0535 end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 847.998.0535 end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 847.998.0535 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
Fax 847.770.6498
WritersWeekly.com has received ANOTHER complaint about:
Kim Kleeman / Shakespeare Squared / ShakespeareSquared.com / The
Shakespeare Squared Foundation
OWNER'S BLOG:
http://www.shakespearesquared.com/blog/
WritersWeekly.com is a publication that publishes information for
and about freelance writers. The publication is the
largest-circulation freelance writing ezine in the world.
As part of that information, WritersWeekly.com publishes a Warnings
section on its website and in its newsletter. This warning section
contains reports about publications that are unprofessional in
dealing with writers, haven't paid writers money that is owed to
them, who have not abided by their contracts, or who have unfair
contract terms. These reports are used by WritersWeekly.com's
subscribers
to decide which publications they should and should not work with.
Your firm has been submitted to us for inclusion in the
WritersWeekly.com Whispers and Warnings section.
Step one of our investigation of this report is to gather all
relevant correspondence between your publication and the person
submitting the complaint so that we can piece together that person's
side of the story. Step one of our investigation has been completed.
-------------
THE COMPLAINT
-------------
CD (name not published here but was, of course, provided to the publisher)
alleges you owe her $1126.00 and that you hired her when
you already had past-due accounts with other freelancers.
See complete allegation under my signature.
We are recommending your victims contact your local police
department about this situation because this appears to have become a
pattern with your business. Continuing to solicit and run "employment"
ads for workers that you can't pay is making the situation perpetually
worse, and appears to be creating even more victims.
Northbrook Police Department
Charles J. Wernick, Chief of Police -
wernick@northbrook.il.us
1401 Landwehr Road
Northbrook, IL 60062-5199
(847) 564-2060
-----------------
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
-----------------
The second step in our investigation is to send this communication
to your firm to get its side of the story. If you have evidence
disputing these allegations, or would like to make your own
statement about these allegations for publication in our report, please
email
angela@writersweekly.com within two business days.
***All correspondence for our investigations must be in writing and
is subject to publication.***
If you do owe this person money, we strongly suggest you read
this article before responding:
http://www.writersweekly.com/the_latest ... 32006.html
Our report on your firm is scheduled for inclusion in our
publication next Wednesday, though it may appear in our Whispers and
Warnings forum before that time.
If there is no response to these allegations, WritersWeekly.com will
still publish this complaint, but our readers will not be able to
read your side of the story.
We appreciate your prompt response in this matter.
Angela Hoy
Publisher
WritersWeekly.com
~~~~~~~~~~~
ALLEGATION
~~~~~~~~~~~
From: CD
Date: Mon, Nov 16, 2009 at 10:08 AM
To:
KathyBretz@shakespearesquared.com
Cc:
BCarroll@shakespearesquared.com
Ms. Bretz:
I have not heard from you in two weeks. I have spoken with other
freelancers and learned that your company has neglected to pay people as
far back as August. I have to tell you that this is extremely alarming
and frustrating. I consider it highly unprofessional that you would be
struggling to make payments to freelancers and continue to contract work
to additional freelancers.
I would like to know when you plan to remit payment for work that I have
completed, work that I believe you have already passed on to the your
client. My invoices total $1,126.00, with the first payment due October
26 and the final due December 25. You are not only are failing to pay
me, but you have in effect cost me money, because the time I spent on
your work was time that I could have spent on other projects, earning
income.
I understand that you are a business, dependent on other businesses for
your income, but you have an obligation to the people who do the work
for you. You contracted with me--and I'm gathering with many other
freelancers--and we have delivered the work in good faith. Our labor was
contracted to you, not to your client, and your company, not your
client, is responsible for paying us. Many freelancers network with one
another, and as it is, I do not feel that I could encourage anyone to
accept work from you in the future and will feel compelled to discourage
colleagues from contracting with you if you cannot fulfill your
financial obligations.
I apologize for the unpleasant nature of this email. I know you are one
employee in a larger operation, but I need for you to understand that I
take this very seriously--and you should, too. Your contract workers
deliver a product and a service to you, and they deserve to be
compensated for that. To not do so is not simply a matter of numbers on
spreadsheets. Your business practices impact people's lives, and it is
highly irresponsible and unethical to take your writers, editors and
other contractors and their labor for granted.
I would apprec
iate a prompt response, and will follow up by phone if I
do not hear from you.
Thank you,
CD
~~~~~
UPDATE: 5/5/10
CD states she is still owed $1136 by Shakespeare Squared.
~~~~~
UPDATE: 5/10/10
After three websites (Chicago Business, The Northbook Star and Media Bistro), published stories about Shakespeare Squared owing money to freelancers (one quoted their local police commander, who said he'd contacted the attorn
ey general), Shakespeare Squared started sending out emails to victims, promising immediate payment.
The writer CD (above) reports she was paid $1032 on 5/8/10 but that they paid her $104 less than her invoice "because apparently they don't pay for sourcing pages."
The stories appear at the links below:
THE NORTHBROOK STAR
http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/w ... multi=NBSB
CHICAGO BUSINESS
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/ ... siness.com
MEDIA BISTRO
http://www.mediabistro.com/mediajobsdai ... 160002.asp
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