Logged on to my checking account and to my horror saw that two items, $15 & $65 are returning to me!
Both could be checks from ATH.( I'll find out tomorrow) Both payments I chased after & was told that the checks were returned to ATH due to address change. No E-mail or telephone contact to the effect of; " Dear shopper, your paycheck was returned to us, have you moved? Please send us your new address so that we can pay you for your work & please don't think of us as dishonest or unappreciative.

Strangely enough I did get a $3 check mailed to my new address, after the move and before these completed March '11 shops. The only other incident I remember is not getting paid for a 08 shop, finally tracking down someone to discuss the matter with, getting a BS reason, explaining and after 6 months getting paid my $17.

Ironically, in their guidelines ATH spends much time telling shoppers why they won't get paid. Bottom line- sounds as though regardless "you won't get paid".
So much for the French from the beautiful Belgian village of ATH. As a former French resident "quel domage !"

Sad to say: $65 bounced check courtesy of ATH & $15 bank fee.

Any ideas on how to handle this one? This is a first for me.

I can't believe it! I get e-mails everyday from them asking for help.

Sacre poo-poo / Holy merde!

I would be on the phone with them this morning. Depending on where you are, the rules vary. In my area non-payment to an IC is a small claims problem but 'worthless check' the state prosecutes. Get them on the phone, tell them what has happened, tell them what your cost is and suggest that they have 10 days to get you payment in good form for the now $80.

In my area the first step towards prosecution is to send a certified, return receipt letter to them on a bad check situation. 10 days after getting the returned receipt, I can take the receipt, check and materials to the State Attorney's Office for them to begin prosecution. Unfortunately the State Attorney's Office will only get you back the face amount of the check, not any additional fees you may have incurred.

Alternatively, if there is a branch of their bank in your town, you can present the check daily at their bank, costing them a whole lot in bounced check fees.

Hope we get some followup on this situation. I don't do much for them but my wife loves their bank shops. A bounced check would be a bad situation.

I am real sorry to hear this. I am really hoping it is just one incident and or we all will be out quite a bit of money.

...I'll report, you'll decide.
I looked for ATH payments due me for March shops and finally reached out to a scheduler. He put me in touch with a helpful woman who could have been in accounts payable. She investigated, found that my payments were returned by the Post Office and passed the request on to what sounds like an outside payroll firm, writes me a supportive e-mail, cc the scheduler and the firm. I get not one but two checks, same amount, a week apart. I've already deposited the first check and filed the second until I get instructions as what to do with it.The next day, I notice the charge back + charge back fee. The bank tells me that the check had a stop payment put on it by ATH. I contact the firms rep. He wants the bank to call him, which of course banks don't and won't. He wants to tell them that no stop payment was on that check. He later "investigates" and finds that two payments were made etc. etc. Tells me to cash check #2. He offers to pay $15 "if" I was charged. The charge back letter was an emailed attachment and popped up on his correspondence. I point that out and ask for the $15. He replies that it will be included with my May shop payment due to be submitted July 15. I write Mr. La-di-dah that it is not acceptable for me to get it as taxable income. To be seen.
ATH needs to be as selective and strict with payroll firms as they are with shoppers and demand work done in a timely fashion.
PS ces 1948, Informa has good bank shops, good project managers and pay quickly, ahead of their stated timeframe.

In terms of 'taxable income', I would not worry about that excessively. Be more concerned about just receiving it. Even if you are doing enough work for them that they send you a 1099, 1099s rarely match up to your records whether you are a cash or accrual tax payer. (If you are accrual you are claiming work performed through 12/31, if you are cash you are claiming payments received through 12/31. If they send out checks 12/30 they can claim them on your 1099, but if you are a cash taxpayer you won't have received them.) Just treat the $15 as you would treat any reimbursement because that is precisely what it is.

But I am glad to hear that this appears to be a SNAFU rather than a matter of no having funds in their account to cover checks written.

I'm a lousy typist,( a product of an all girls high school, where we were all so smart that one day we would all have secretaries to type for us) who wrote all of that so that sympathetic ATH shoppers would not worry. The check is in the mail.

ATH is very short on communication except to demand better and more complete work from shoppers. They would reject themselves! I work as though I were my own employee. That motto aside , I just can't stand the kettle calling the frying pan black.

I certainly understand where you are coming from. And they are no the only ones that should hold themselves to at least the same standards to which they hold shoppers.