Complaint Review: Express Personnel Services

We are happy to report that after some effort, we've secured reimbursement from the aforementioned.

In a previous life I did contract programming on mainframe computers.

Employment services live on hope. Client employers will often interview candidates from many different services, each service hoping to have the candidate that satisfies the client. The employment service typically receives no payment for sending candidates to an interview.

Employment services also live hand-to-mouth. If the client does not pay the service the service has no money to pay you. (OK, may they have the money but feel that they owe you nothing if they get nothing.)

In this case Express Personnel sent you on a two-day trip for an interview. The client did not choose you. (It likely has nothing to do with your qualifications as clients will often play one personnel service against another to get the best deal they can.) Since Express Personnel received no payment they have decided to stiff you for your expenses.

Peter is under the impression that oral contracts are not enforceable in court. Wrong again, Peter. Unless Michigan's Statute of Frauds (not what it sounds like) requires your agreement to be in writing, your agreement with Express Personnel is just as enforceable as any written contract.

By the fact that Express Personnel repeatedly asked you for the receipts you have established that there was a contract for reimbursement of expenses. Had there been no such contract they would not have requested the receipts.

During the dozen or so years I did contract work I learned the hard way to avoid out-of-town gigs. Going away from home costs you money that most temp services will not reimburse. I did one out-of-town job for about 8 months and spent half my income on moving expenses both ways. Another time I spent a small fortune to get my car repaired to get me to another out-of-town job only to have the client change his mind the day before I was supposed to leave. After a few dozen similar experiences I learned never to spend money to land a job.

The female verbally "guaranteed reimbursement" (we have her name) and follow up email we have states that upon arrival as we agreed, travel expenses to be reimbursed.

This was for an executive level job - not contract, not temporary.

Later the conversations continued YES resend copies, yes, check will be on the way shortly.
So even after that several phone converstions she acknowledge they would be sending the check!

Later, her boss then stated "we're working with you" "see what we can do" back-peddling.

In any event, it was not my "project" but a family members and we're still going to proceed.
Verbal promises can be "contracts" so can emails attest to the arrangements.

Regardless, I'd NEVER trust this company on anything and they phoned us first, we didn't search them out.

The interview went fine, but my family member accepted another job in the meantime while we were still awaiting reimbursement. Thankfully, a company that is treating him decently and honestly.

There is no excuse for taking advantage of the public esp. the unemployed. When recruiters lie they hurt the entire profession of recruiters who care to do business honestly. No good recruiter should ever cover and excuse a bad recruiter.

Did they provide their travel reimbursement policy to you IN WRITING before your trip? If not, then you have no grounds in court.

Due to the nature of temporary/contract work, no agency that I know of pays travel expenses for interview purposes. In fact, most - if not all - have a disclaimer stating "only local candidates will be considered" to avoid the issue of travel reimbursement all together.

If something like this comes up again and a company is not willing to provide a written copy of their reimbursement policy, then have them schedule and pay for your travel up front before you leave town. That way it is on their credit card and not yours!