Payment Issues for On Set Work
Overpayment
Although this is rare, it is still an issue that may happen from time to time that a client will pay you more than your invoiced amount or was on your timecard. As soon as you notice the overpayment, you should let your employer know that you were overpaid and by what amount. They will eventually find out and ask for the money back, so it's best to just be honest. Once you do pay them back though you need to make sure that any tax filings you receive do not reflect the overpaid amount. If they have already filed a 1099 or W-2 form, it may just be easier to let them know they have a credit with you and next time you won't charge them for x amount of the job.
Late Payment
Late payment is really common when you're getting paid from work on set. There are a number of ways to combat this, but the most effective thing you can do is just be pleasant and persistent.
Past 2 Weeks
This is depending on if you were hired as an employee or an independent contractor. Your payment will be considered late after two weeks if you were paid through payroll. At this point in time, you really don't want to put too much pressure on them as it can adversely affect your relationship with an otherwise good client. You will get more forceful as the payments get later and they do not hold themselves to their word. Just let them know you haven't received your payment and you wanted to check in to see when you should expect to receive it.
Past 30 Days
This is the point in time when your payment is considered late for independent contractors. If you go by the law, if you were misclassified as an IC and you are really an employee, then your payment is truly late after 2 weeks, but we will get into what that means later on in the process. After 30 days continue with the persistent but pleasant routine, asking when you will receive the check. The goal is to get them to commit to a firm deadline so you can see if they are really trying to pay you or if they are just stringing you along.
Past 45 Days
Continue to email asking when you'll receive the check. Late fees can be added at this point, but often times they will just cause unnecessary friction, especially if they are not clearly stated on the invoice. It's best just to get them to commit to a date when you will be paid. If there is no contact at this point, you can move onto past 90 days.
Past 60 Days
At this point it is a bit of personal preference. If they have been very communicative and you feel like you will be paid, you can continue to pester them and try and find a date they will pay you. Otherwise move onto Past 90 days and begin to force their hand.
Past 90 Days
There are two things you can do at this point that will get results in some way. It really just depends on how much you value the relationship and if you feel like this will continue to happen with this employer. No matter how cool the jobs are, it's not worth working with people who do not pay, as it will just strain your relationship with the crew.
Collections
This method is probably the lesser of the two, but with the least upside. You can easily send any invoice you have to collections. Go to Direct Recovery and use the send us an account button. Just send them your invoice, time card, or any supporting documentation you have. If they call you wanting to pay immediately after they hear from the collection agency, take the money. You will owe 10-15% to the collection agency after you send it to them, but they often times scare people into payment. This can definitely sour a relationship as they will have a bad mark on their credit as a result of this.
Wage Claim
With wage claims there is a bit of work to be done, but it can have huge upsides if played correctly. You are owed your daily wage for everyday your payment is late, up to 30 days. So if your day rate was 800/10, that would be 800*30=24,000. 24,000 dollars is not too bad, there is some paperwork and stress involved, but clearly it can be very worth it. Information on how to do this is on the Division of Labor Standard Enforcements Website