Having a Frustrating and Weird Problem

[garnetflower13]

At the beginning of May of this year, I participated in a paid study at the local University. Since I have fatigue issues it really wiped me out since I had to show up very early in the morning and spend most of the day participating. I thought it was well worth it, because of the money promised. Fast forward to the present: I have still not received my money.

I have called the office where the study was conducted at least six times, and each time I am given excuses; some of them are Gee, I don't know what happened, that's odd, I will certainly check into it and get back to you! This game has been going on since the beginning of June. Finally I did some research and found the head of Human Resources, told her my story, she promised to get back to me and nothing happened. I located the phone number for the Fiscal office assistant, and he had even more fun stories to tell. I began to suspect that I'd been had when he said, all in the same paragraph, that people were out sick, there was a rapid turnover in staffing, and that it was the end of the fiscal year.

I called the office where I'd done the study and expressed the desire to speak to the head of the department. He did return my call, but had even more stories for me. According to him, the payment forms that I had filled out were accidentally shredded and that thirteen other participants were also affected. He promised to send out another payment form. I innocently asked how he could do that, if my personal information had been shredded? He didn't seem to have an answer for this, so I offered to give him the address. As of today I haven't received a payment form either, although he promised to send it out last Friday.

I am very disappointed, because I have done studies at this University before and they always paid promptly. I have never been lied to, to this extent and I do believe I am being lied to. The problem is, I have no idea how to get my money. I was supposed to receive one hundred dollars. Just needed a place to vent. Any advice would be appreciated, too!

 

[Judge]

If you have a contract/receipt or some kind of verifiable paper trail, you might consider taking them to small claims court. If not, I don't see much recourse here.

 

[atrocityexhibition]

Honestly, I might just call it a day. It's very frustrating, but these people who conducted the study don't seem very competent and are probably just a waste of your time.

 

[garnetflower13]

Honestly, I might just call it a day. It's very frustrating, but these people who conducted the study don't seem very competent and are probably just a waste of your time.

Well, I couldn't do that. I gave these people 8 hours of my time, and they are required by law to compensate me for it as promised. They are insulting my intelligence to think that they can tell me all these made up stories so as to cheat me of my rightful compensation. If I were healthy and gainfully employed I might choose to forget about it. But I am disabled and I really need that money.

Judge: I have a signed contract from them, so they have to pay me! Or I might well think of small claims court.

 

[atrocityexhibition]

Well, I couldn't do that. I gave these people 8 hours of my time, and they are required by law to compensate me for it as promised. They are insulting my intelligence to think that they can tell me all these made up stories so as to cheat me of my rightful compensation. If I were healthy and gainfully employed I might choose to forget about it. But I am disabled and I really need that money.

Well, then that changes things a bit. Maybe it would be best to go in person. They can't brush you off then

 

[Judge]

Well, I couldn't do that. I gave these people 8 hours of my time, and they are required by law to compensate me for it as promised. They are insulting my intelligence to think that they can tell me all these made up stories so as to cheat me of my rightful compensation. If I were healthy and gainfully employed I might choose to forget about it. But I am disabled and I really need that money.

Judge: I have a signed contract from them, so they have to pay me! Or I might well think of small claims court.

Sounds like you have a good case, assuming you can also vouch for having completed the study. Of course you'll have to explain it personally before a small claims judge. Equally the university will have to explain why they didn't compensate you in accordance with the contract.

I'd think the second the university gets wind of a small claim, the appropriate bureaucrat would opt to simply cut you a check rather than to show up in court.

 

[garnetflower13]

I am sure I can vouch for it because I also have a witness; my husband took me there and sat out in the waiting room the whole time with his laptop. I'm giving it a day or two more, than I will ask an attorney about this. I have already typed up my documentation, listing the names of staff I've spoken with and the dates and times of my calls, as well as everything they said.

 

[Judge]

I am sure I can vouch for it because I also have a witness; my husband took me there and sat out in the waiting room the whole time with his laptop. I'm giving it a day or two more, than I will ask an attorney about this. I have already typed up my documentation, listing the names of staff I've spoken with and the dates and times of my calls, as well as everything they said.

Sound like you're in excellent shape for a small claim.

But you might skip the part about an attorney unless it's a friend or relative helping you for free over a small claim. The last time I formally needed an attorney (not a small claim) it was for $350 an hour (no retainer) in Northern California in 2006. And that WAS a family friend!

If you do have free access to an attorney and can get them to send the university a request for remuneration on their letterhead they may well respond quite quickly.

 

[Rudy Schmidt]

I'm sorry to hear about your troubles. I can sort of sympathize, although not on the same scale - I once had to chase people through about three or four different locations for FIVE POUNDS (less than $10). Anything to avoid paying you.

 

[garnetflower13]

I'm sorry to hear about your troubles. I can sort of sympathize, although not on the same scale - I once had to chase people through about three or four different locations for FIVE POUNDS (less than $10). Anything to avoid paying you.

That's exactly how I feel - anything to avoid paying me! But I won't give up that easily; it's the principle of the thing.

 

[Peace]

Small claims court (in the USA) is the best solution. It will cost you about $100.00 to file a claim, but you can get that back in the judgement.
You might first try sending them a letter informing them of your intent to sue, and if that does not work, then file the claim. A simple form at your county clerk of courts office.

 

[garnetflower13]

Small claims court (in the USA) is the best solution. It will cost you about $100.00 to file a claim, but you can get that back in the judgement.
You might first try sending them a letter informing them of your intent to sue, and if that does not work, then file the claim. A simple form at your county clerk of courts office.

I'm not familiar with the term "judgement" in relation to this situation. Do you mean that I would be reimbursed if I invested the 100 dollars?

 

[Judge]

I'm not familiar with the term "judgement" in relation to this situation. Do you mean that I would be reimbursed if I invested the 100 dollars?

Here are terms relative to Dade County. I have no idea what part of Florida you are in, but this gives you a better idea of how small claims are handled in your state.

Miami-Dade County - Clerk of Courts

 

[garnetflower13]

Thank you! That is very helpful.

 

[garnetflower13]

Well, possibly I have a good development to report. I looked over the paper that I signed when I did the study and found a phone number to something called the Institutional Review Board. I phoned them, and they promised to look into this matter and to keep me apprised of any developments. When I described what had been going on, she said that no matter what, it would end in me receiving a check!

 

[garnetflower13]

I finally received a paper to fill out. The woman that I spoke to wants me to keep her apprised of events until I have received my check. So I have mailed the paper out and am awaiting further developments.

 

[etbe]

Another option in such cases is to visit your local police station and file an accusation of fraud. Often a phone call from a cop can really get the attention of the right people.

Note that the police won't be interested in such cases (they would rather you deal with it as a civil matter). Probably the best you can hope for is that they call the uni to make you leave the station and stop bothering them.

 

[2aspirin]

You need to tell the Principal Investigator of the study that you will be filing a complaint with the university's Institutional Review Board. That IRB likely approved the study design. You can remind the study investigators that the study design would not likely have gained approval without the compensation to study participants.

No need to go to Human Resources. You are not a contractor nor employee. You are a study participant that has ethics boards and oversight on your side.

You can also indicate that you will file a complaint with your state's Attorney General Office.

I think it will be taken care of. Stay at it.

 

[2aspirin]

I finally received a paper to fill out. The woman that I spoke to wants me to keep her apprised of events until I have received my check. So I have mailed the paper out and am awaiting further developments.

I just saw this after I posted. Good. Yeah, these study oversight matters are serious. I am confident you will be paid!

 

[garnetflower13]

Another update: The woman I spoke to on the review board called me yesterday to assure me that she is still investigating. She said that she would definitely go higher up if those checks aren't issued. As it stands now, she hopes that a check will arrive within the week, and she will be calling me to make sure I received it. As of this point I have been waiting over two months to be paid from that darn study.