Unpaid Salaries

[Rosamunda]

What exactly is "Unpaid" here? Are you invoicing the company for time and expenses or are they paying you a salary? Are you employed by them with a work contract or are you a subcontractor/supplier? From a legal point of view these are different.

If you have invoiced the company and the invoice is unpaid you can sell the invoice on to a factoring (credit) company. They will buy the debt off you and then you can forget about what happens next (they recover the money and interest). I know these companies exist but I wouldn't be able to recommend one to you I'm afraid.

Did you contact the tax authorities in Finland? Did you contact the FInnish embassy in your country?

If you still have contacts with people wtorking in the organisation then I suggest you use them as a source of information... find out who the bookkeepers are and contact them, find out who the auditors are etc

[toxent]

The "Unpaid" here are the expenses that was not reimbursed (business travel, office bills, I usually invoice them for operation expenses ) and my Salaries . I am hired as an employee with work contract, not as subcon.
I was advised by friends here to invoice them my salary so thats what I did and the invoices were since last feb including my 4 months pay.

I did contact Finnish embassy but what they advise is to work this out with the company. They recommended MOL and they said they will get back to me for further offices they can recommend but no news from them till now. IMO, they are just more concern with the Finnish citizens.

Regarding Tax office, I have all the contact info here but I found out that our org , 3 of its companies are one of top 5 tax contributor in their locality so I am afraid now that I wont be taken seriously.

By the way, i mentioned last time that the company also owe some debts here and only last Friday they paid aftr more than a month of chasing and threats from the suppliers. I was copied on the payment and I saw bank receipts with the accounting office they use. I am not sure if they will be considered as auditors?

I will send you PM by the way for more info. thanks a lot for responses.

[Rosamunda]

You can definitely contact the tax authorities. They will be completely objective, there is no reason why they would disregard your emails. And I also suggest you get back to the Embassy again.

If Finnish companies think they can get away with off-shoring work to China and then default on paying salaries and expenses then that is very bad news for Finland and it should be taken seriously. If you know other suppliers in China who are working with them maybe they can put pressure on the company by holding deliveries etc until your invoice is paid. Maybe there is a organisation in China like Dun & Bradstreet which holds business information on companies - you could report your situation to them.

I answered your PM with some more ideas and contact details of people in Etela-Savo you could write to. When writing to those authorities you should be as specific as you can, give them as much detail as you can about your situation, send copies of the contracts etc.

[BartS]

In my opinion, the company which is not paying your salary is committing a crime and you could contact Finnish Police. At least, you can tell your employer that you have to report this to the police of Finland. Tax authorities can hardly help you.

[toxent]

I am already doing ways to contact authorities. I guess all offices in Finnish gov that can help me now. I told the company that if they continue to ignore me, I will elevate the matter. Still no valid response.

Probably just waiting for me to do the action but perhaps they think I am helpless anyway because I am very far. I already stressed im going to report them but they are not alarmed.

I just dont know if Finland will help me since this is just a small salary for 1 person but this could happen to any of resident there.

[BartS]

Ask the Finnish police for help and you know what they are telling to you.
http://www.poliisi.fi

[toxent]

thank you BartS! I am browsing and looking for a contact.

[AleksiP]

If they are going bankrupt maybe you should find a lawyer. Worker's unions usually have lawyers specialized in these matters.
In a similar occasion (in my country though) the lawyer agreed to take the case with just the court expenses and 15% of the salaries, if we get paid.
You should also go by the offices to pressure them in person, threaten for lawsuits and to tell the other workers (if any) that the company doesn't pay up.
Of course, if they're going to close the company and don't have assets on them (expensive equipment etc), they must have debts with banks and the state, the landlord, who have better chance to get paid than the employees... but it's still worth to try, if they can survive they might offer you a compromisation to avoid court (eg 2/3 or half).
Don't hit them or curse (even if they deserve it) because it will come against you at court.

I've been in your place and the worst part about it is that it really brings you down and probably get the first job you'll find...
Don't get down. Do what you have to do but remember that most important is to find another job so make that your priority
Good luck

[toxent]

Thanks. The problem is I am not in Finland so I cant go to their office to face them personally. Distance is my hindrance now so I just rely on information some good people would contribute here. Since I am not in Fin, I am not as well a member of Union. In my correspondence to them, I already threaten them with lawsuits. Still unaffected. It is a group of companies and I dont see any sign of bankruptcy and they just paid off some debtors in my country of assignment last week.
I just sent email to NBI but I have not got reply yet but I got an auto receipt that my email has been received. Tomorrow, I will make am overseas call. I got another contact of their mayor and local newspapers but I am reserving these after police report.It is indeed difficult esp that I am in a foreign country, moving on is just difficult. For two months, I got extreme anxiety facing debtors here and it was a very horrible experience.
I am seeking new job now and while I got a nice offer I am still looking on much better opportunity. I wanted to focus as well on this claim because I really want to fight back.

[AldenG]

Of course, if they're going to close the company and don't have assets on them (expensive equipment etc), they must have debts with banks and the state, the landlord, who have better chance to get paid than the employees... but it's still worth to try,

Are you sure that's how it is in Finland?

In many countries, taxes get the first bite, payroll gets the second bite, and other creditors eat only then.

Of course even if that is so in Finland, it might not apply to toxent because he is abroad, not a Finn, etc. He may be treated as a an independent contractor and maybe a foreign creditor rather than an employee.

[Upphew]

Are you sure that's how it is in Finland?

In many countries, taxes get the first bite, payroll gets the second bite, and other creditors eat only then.

Of course even if that is so in Finland, it might not apply to toxent because he is abroad, not a Finn, etc. He may be treated as a an independent contractor and maybe a foreign creditor rather than an employee.

Usually employees get their money from http://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palkkaturva in case of serious shortage of liquidity.

[toxent]

I tried calling Helsinki Police District all day but no one is picking up the phone.. is this typical? NBI is also not responding email..
I found my CEO registered a new skype name to avoid me, maybe he feel safe doing it. And the co-owner has been showing up lately on messenger but not answering my messages to him.
Maybe they feel better and comfortable now that they paid off everyone except me.

[Upphew]

I tried calling Helsinki Police District all day but no one is picking up the phone.. is this typical?

Dunno, but if the companies are really 3 of the top 5 tax contributors and based in Helsinki... Woah! Try to contact police local to the company/ies involved: http://www.poliisi.fi/poliisi/home.nsf/www/contactus

[toxent]

hi Upphew, they are not in Helsinki but in Eastern Finland. I will PM you the location because I cannot find it in Police directory. yes, was even featured in a local newspaper before for high tax contribution. Also, can recorded verbal harassment aggravate the case? I hate to mention this but he sometimes abusive during talk that I just give a pass and try to ignore.

[FraserinFinland]

Tricky.. You want your money and keep it legal. So have to stay quiet over which company it is.
I wouldn't sweat the feeling that you are dealing with "well connected" people in Finland. Corruption is more previlant than you think. But this is tempered by jealousy of Finns of anyone gaining finacially so you may have a a chance.