Julia
Kansas City,#2UPDATE Employee
Wed, June 22, 2011
Deana M. deserves better than the treatment she got in this report. I did work as a contractual employee for Clark Covingtons company for several years, and I understand why everyone is so upset about his lack of communication, irresponsibility, and all around unfair practices. However, Deana M does not deserve to be included in any attacks on Mr. Covington. She did not run the company. She did not decide or control when payments would be made in fact, she did not even know when they were going to be made.
As a manager of Clarks board, Deana worked with writers to get work completed and turned in. She did that job better than anyone I know could have done it. Every writer could decide whether to take assignments or not Deana just worked to make sure they were done on time and to the clients satisfaction so they would be eligible for pay. How could anyone fault her for that?
You see, Deana was doing a job for Clark just as we writers were. The main difference is that Deana had to deal with his terrible tactics and then deal with the aftermath when the writers were very justifiably irate. She did not create the problem, but only tried her best to keep the work going as smoothly as possible. To imply that she had any complicity in the late payment problem is simply outrageous.
Then too, Deana Ms personal information should never have been included here. Publishing her personal email and lodging these unfounded complaints amounts to cyber-harassment. Once again, she will have to deal with the misdeeds of Clark Covington in a very direct way. How unfair!
As I said, I certainly understand the frustration with Mr. Covington. At one time, he owed me over $1700 for over 6 months. But, Deana had nothing to do with that. When I read this post, I had to have my own say. I just could not let the attacks against Deana stand unchallenged. She is a dream to work with, and I am thankful everyday that I have had the chance to do so.
RFennessy
United States of America#3UPDATE EX-employee responds
Wed, June 22, 2011
As I am included in that ex contractual employee status, I feel the same bitterness towards Clark Covington. I understand the reasoning of the post it's called anger and therefore you lash out as you must.
However, to include a person and their personal information is outrageous. Deana only managed a writer's board, who had no control over how Mr. Covington handled HIS company. She also did an outstanding job and put up with people that did not do their job's or listened to complaints about him. I find her to be an extremely professional and ethical person and writer and I was proud to be a part of HER team. She is the one who made his company succeed due to her organizational abilities and talent. I never considered myself on Mr. Covington's team he lacks ethics and that is something that many of us who did produce work for his company have.
If other writers are going to lash out at Mr. Covington; I urge you and anyone that has worked with her to not include her and if you see her name mentioned in any article and that you come to her defense and that you post something as to her work ethics and abilities.
It was Mr. Covington that chose when to pay his writers, not Deana and I find that this is almost on the verge of slander to her. I agree her name needs to be removed from this and any other posting. Although you did not actually say anything about Deana, I think you should have at least stated something in her defense and asked permission to use her personal information.
It was uncalled for to even bring her name into his mess of a company again she was nothing more then another of his pawns.
Jennifer
United States of America#4UPDATE EX-employee responds
Wed, June 22, 2011
As an ex-employee of Clark's I can attest to the fact that his payments have not been timely for several months now. However, I object to Deana's name being attached to Clark's because she was an employee just like the rest of us.
I feel that including her personal contact information is unnecessary. She had no control over Clark's payouts and in no way ran the business in the way we might typically understand that idea. The purse strings were all held by Clark. When the writers were delayed in getting paid, Deana was also delayed.
Deana
Whitewater,#5UPDATE Employee
Wed, June 22, 2011
Hi, I am not here to deny or confirm the lateness of payments on the boards, although I know there has been issues with payments. However, as a employee, soon to be ex employee as of tomorrow of Clark's, I am requesting that my email and name be removed from your complaint. I, in no way hold any interest in Clark's business. I have absolutely no ownership in it. I am/was a contracted employee just like everyone else and would appreciate it if I was left out of all complaints directed at Clark. I have not ever had any control over payouts of services rendered. Your complaint is directed at Clark and there was no need to include my personal information into it. Thank you!
Deana
Zaphod Beeblebrox
Miami,#6UPDATE EX-employee responds
Tue, March 29, 2011
My experiences working with Mr. Covington are, not surprisingly, similar to those written by the original poster from San Antonio. I, too, worked on the Craigslist job, I, too, endured the long waits and long silences about pay, and I, too, thought that the usage of the term "get paid on Sunday on a regular basis" was clear-cut in the recruiting e-mail but was loosely interpreted by Mr/ Covington to mean "whenever I get around to paying."
While I am not sure how things work on the Rufus side of the equation (does the company have to wait until the client quality-checks the Craigslist ads and pays Clark to pay us?), I do think that this should have been made crystal clear from the start; if payment is something that can't be made regularly on a specific date but when the client pays IRA, then that's what should be stated and not "pay is every Sunday."
As someone who also worked on the Craigslist ads job, I can attest to everything that the original poster said.