Complaint Review: Labor Ready

2 movers that Labor Ready of Everett, Washington, supplied (listed on you Work Ticket #154083-1106 dated 4/25/2003 as Robert D. Sprague and Lloyd E Cooper) damaged the walls and banisters leading from the ground floor entry level to the 2nd level main floor of my condominium.

Despite my constant pleading to be careful they succeeded in denting the walls, gouging the plaster and scraping paint from the walls in 15 separate areas. Additionally, they skinned the paint in 8 spots from the 2 separate banisters leading to the 2nd floor.

This is a new condominium and the paint contractor told me that to only way to return the entry to new condition would be to repair the damage and repaint the whole entry way at a cost of $975.00 plus Tax.

1. When I called the Everett Labor Ready office and spoke with the manager, Simeon Ward, he promised me that he would send over Good Movers. No conditions were mentioned during any of the conversations necessary to make the arrangements. Customers have a reasonable expectation that Labor Ready will provide workers competent to the task. These two workers were obviously not competent and did not know how to perform this work.

2. I did directly supervise them and pleaded over and over again for them to be careful. All of the damage was done while moving one heavy filing cabinet and a desk. Unless I am actually doing the lifting I have no direct control over how the work is completed.

3. The work ticket that you refer to in you letter was presented after all the work was done. I didnt see it or the conditions until after the work and damage was done. The only time the Conditions have ever been mentioned is in your denial letter dated July 7, 2003

4. The Conditions of Service that you refer to was not shown to me prior to the work being done. The text of Conditions is on the reverse side of the document and is faint, being obscured, in parts, by printing that shows through the paper from the other side. My signature on the document was provided as the workers were leaving and I believed that I was only verifying that the hours had been completed as entered on the form.

5. As they were leaving, I was assured by your workers that Labor Ready has insurance for his type of situation. I realize that they dont have any say about how your business is run but business owners would have to be insane not to have protection in this era of consumer rights.

6. At their request I filed a damage claim with Labor Ready and received a response denying my claim for 2 reasons...

It is my responsibility to supervise the Labor Ready temporary workers.

The Work ticket included "Terms and Conditions" that govern the relationship between the parties and has a "Hold Harmless" clause which Labor Ready is relying on to refuse to provide payment caused by their workers.

Noll
Stanwood, Washington
U.S.A.