Beware of Tent & Bear and Premiere Digital

[artdog]

I was employed last minute by Premiere Digital through a company called Tent & Bear that have offices in Dubai and London. In order to fulfil the contract, I had to fly to Casablanca with one day's notice and spend a week there. I was promised by the recruiter at Premiere that they would book the flight and hotel and I would be given $125/day to cover expenses. I agreed to take on the contract.

About 12 hours before I was due to leave, the recruiter from Premiere informed me that their accounting team refused to book the flight or hotel and I would have to do it myself. I was reticent to go out of pocket for so much but he assured me it would be reimbursed. Then I found out that the $125/day was not a per diem but was meant to cover the flight and accommodation leaving me little left over as I was booking very last minute.

When I returned from Casablanca I spent the next two weeks fighting with Premiere Digital to get paid for my time. Apparently Tent & Bear didn't want to sign off on the timesheet.

It is now 7 weeks later and I still have not been reimbursed for my expenses which totalled almost £1200. Every week Premiere Digital tells me that THIS Friday I will definitely get paid. Of course, it doesn't happen. My calls are never returned. Occasionally the original recruiter from Premiere gets on the line and tells me some new story as to why I haven't been reimbursed. My emails are never answered.

If you are considering taking a role with Premiere Digital you should be aware of the way they treat contractors. If you ever hear Tent & Bear mentioned, run away.

[WLB2018]

Sorry to hear that.

But an important lesson learn't I feel. I would have asked them to reschedule until such a time when they could have paid for the flight and hotel.

Granted, not a helpful response but I think you simply have to take it on the chin and move on!

WLB

[northernladuk]

Then I found out that the $125/day was not a per diem but was meant to cover the flight and accommodation leaving me little left over as I was booking very last minute.

How do you get a flight to Casablanca, 5 nights stay and change out of $125??

[Old Greg]

How do you get a flight to Casablanca, 5 nights stay and change out of $125??

It is a sordid tale.

OP, are you just asking nicely for the money or have you escalated? Do a forum search for 'dunning' and/or contact Safe Collections.

[PhiltheGreek]

How do you get a flight to Casablanca, 5 nights stay and change out of $125??

Exactly. Getting transit permits out of Casablanca is noted to be a right pita.

[WTFH]

Exactly. Getting transit permits out of Casablanca is noted to be a right pita.

You need own a Renault for those.

[psychocandy]

12 hours before after they said it'd all be paid for? hmmmm.

I think I'd have declined. Its obvious that "someone" in the chain had an issue with paying.

Sounds like agency had reservations about paying for flights because they obviously were not convinced they'd get the money back from client. So they pass it on to you to take the risk and, as has happened, no-one wants to pay for the flights now.

Sorry I'd have told them to sort this out with their client and then let me know when it was sorted.....

I think you left yourself open a bit to this I'm afraid.

Assume you did have a contract in place for all of this? And it wasn't just a verbal promise such as, honestly, we'll pay you back for the flights and accommodation mate?

[jmo21]

If a company wants you there in 24 hours, and they are willing to pay for flight and accommodation, then they do so, otherwise I would assume they were lying quite frankly.