Word in from a freelancer about an employer who has scarpered without paying them for their work. Employer is Stephen Ley who runs, or ran (it appears to have closed down) a company called Videbee.

As is usually the case with rogue employers like this, first came the list of excuses why the pay wasn’t forthcoming on time, then the promises to pay on a specific date, then the inevitable failure to actually hand the money over on the day in question.

Videbee claims to offer “High Quality, Cost-Effective video and animation production”. I suppose one way to provide such great value for money is not to be bothered with the sordid business of honouring your side of an employment deal: videos are always much cheaper if you don’t pay the people who work to make them for you. And in this case the client paid Stephen Ley in full, but he decided to keep the money and not hand any on to the person who actually did the hard work.

If Videbee should ever resurface - or if Stephen Ley does come knocking on anyone’s door offering work - freelancers are warned to either get the money in advance or suddenly be unavailable that day/week/month/year. That is if they want to get paid for their work.

Stephen Ley - Videbee - Freelancers beware!