I will not be subjected to criminal abuse

Its time for another story, do you guys want a story? I will give you one. This one is about my early days in the work industry and how you should always becareful and know your legal rights before you head in, you do not want to be subjected to criminal abuse without knowing.  This happened a few years back, straight out of Design College, when I was still an 'Amateur Graphic Designer' as they like to call me. So I was searching online for jobs and found one that requires a Graphic Designer with artistic skills who can create original characters as well as making little icons and graphics stuff. I was like HELL YEAH THATS ME, so I sent them my portfolio, back then it had really unprofessional messy drawings and then a few graphic design works and photography bullshit pieces that I threw in here and there to show my 'range', I didn't have a consistant style and I had no idea what people wanted to see lol. So the company saw my work and they told me to come in. I was really happy!

So I turned up to what appears to be a private clinic, its quite small too, with like 4 or 5 rooms only. I was supposed to meet the boss, lets just call him Dr G (I don't wanna throw in his real name as his website is still active, but it has shit all on it, more about that later). But instead of the boss, I had to see his wife instead because he was busy with doctor things, I mean he was there walking around and can hear our conversation but too busy to see me, ok thats understandable. So the wife explained to me what was needed, their main job is doing x-ray and medical stuff for people, but they are starting something online thats gonna apparently 'change the way the internet system works', their words not mine. The wife even went as far as to say the graphic designers of Google are now so rich and famous because Google is big, and that if I work for Dr G then I can be rich and famous just like the google artists. I didn't believe a word she said because the claim is WAYYY too big. But a small part of me wanted to believe, and a big part of me just wanted to get any work to get some money flowing in. She started asking me about my family and whether I am a permanent resident there, asked if I have a girlfriend, whether I am living at home, how long I have been to Australia, a lot of questions about my background as opposed to about what I can do for the company, very odd. The wife then tells me I will be put on a trial period first to test if I have the capability to do the work (Eventhough I showed her my whole freakin portfolio but ok). Now all these time there was NOT A SINGLE MENTION about the money, I was waiting for when she would tell me how much I am getting paid, but since she's the wife I wasn't sure if it was appropriate to ask cos technically she didn't work there... or did she? (I still have no idea to be honest) she's just the wife of the boss. So I didn't ask any further, I didn't wanna be rude, I was told to come in the next day to start my trial. Perhaps I can talk to Dr G about my pay the next day?

I went to work at 9am in the morning. Finally sat down with Dr G, he looks like he's in his 40s, a Caucasian fella with a bit of scruffy beard. He showed me around a bit, introducing me to other 'workers' there, its very interesting that all the workers there are asian teens around my age, I also used the term 'workers' very lightly because tbh I ain't sure if they are getting paid, but more on that later. He explained to me what I had to do for the day, THE WHOLE DAY is a trial to see if I have the ability to draw the characters to make their online system thing attractive. He then gave me instructions on what I had to do, I still haven't asked about the pay yet.. as it was a day of trial so it wasn't official work so I shouldn't be asking right? As I was doing my trial.. I came to realise.. 'Wait a minute, this ain't a trial! I am already doing work for them! The stuff I am drawing right now is part of their internet system project so how on earth is this considered a trial?'. Things were starting to get suspicious, as I was doing my work, Dr G would come in once in a while to see how I am doing and whenever I try to ask him something he would act all busy and GTFO of there. By the end of the day I was tired as hell sitting in that awful boring room all by myself drawing, I wanted to ask Dr G about how I did but his wife showed up and told me Dr G has a meeting so he will see how I did for the day tomorrow... RIGHT! So I have to show up again tomorrow then?

The next day I showed up and Dr G told me I did great, and I was thinking 'HURRAY! So Im getting the job right? NOW can we talk about my pay?' and he says "OK well done, but now we must see how good you are with making icons for our website " ....EXCUSE ME? The trial isn't finished? I was about to ask him about the pay and he once again says he's really busy and has to go out a bit. Leaving me there alone in the room to work on more drawings, during lunch I sat with the chinese workers there. They all look like they just got out of high school, and they all have something in common.. they are all overseas students who didn't speak much english, but they are good at what they do, like programming and doing all the computer stuff. I then started thinking more about the situation with my Sherlock Holmes deduction abilities. Why did Dr G pick me? Is it because of my art skils? Is it because I am Asian? But why Asian? Well somtimes the answer to many questions all comes down to one thing, Money. And with that answer in mind, everything started to make sense. I am being taken advantage of. I returned back to the office and continued to do my work, Dr G appeared once again to see where I am in my so called 'trial'. Before he had a chance to flee I quickly asked boldly 'Hey Dr G! I was just wondering, am I getting paid for this?' and I could see the horror in his eyes, he realised I have figured it out, I have figured out his master plan, he paused for a little bit and smiled, he tells me to wait while he talks it over with his wife. I waited, while I was waiting I also thought about what I would say in every different scenarios. I also did some quick internet research on legal rights of working people Australia, apparently even if it is a trial, it is illegal to NOT pay the potential worker anything if the work they are doing is official work, minimum of $20 per hour is the legal requirement. So anyway Dr G came back and smiled, he says he has talked it over with his wife and they are quite happy to pay me HALF the salary. I was like 'Err... excuse me? Half? I'm not sure if thats legal, sir.' and he panicked. He must've been shocked to see this Asian boy's knowledge of Australian laws, well thats cause this Asian boy isn't fresh out of China you silly man, I have lived in this country for 18 years ok? The smile from Dr G's face disappeared and his attitude changed, he then says 'Fine, I will give you $20 an hour. So start working hard.', he also said one thing that made me worry for the other chinese workers there, he told me 'Oh also, don't tell the other boys that I am paying you'. and I was like omg... I don't think Dr G are paying the chinese workers, or if he is, he isn't paying the legal rate at all... Is that why Dr G deliberately picked Asian overseas students as workers?? So they are just happy with low pay cos its still better than China? Or the fact that their english is so bad that they can't express and argue their legal rights to Dr G? Well whatever it is, Dr G messed with the wrong Asian boy this time! For the rest of the day he pops in once in a while, but that fake smile was not there on his face no more.

Its Friday and I really didn't want to go back to that cheapskate's clinic no more, but I had to show up for one final day. To get my well deserved pay. But I had to put on an act, I had to act like after getting the money I am still happy to work there, otherwise Dr G could just not give me money so I would keep coming back and coming back.. this guy is tricky and I gota becareful. So for the whole day I put on a smile and acted polite and happy. I can tell Dr G knows I know exactly what is going on in the clinic. The whole taking advantage of Asian workers who don't know the Australian law, to the whole trial bullshit to get some free labor out of them. Yeah I know his game, and he knows I know it too. I think one time he was trying to be smart and on his hand was this gadget thing that he played with in front of me, he told me he bought it cheap in an Asian computer store, he then asked me 'Don't you think its interesting that something so advanced can be bought for so cheap?'. I didn't answer him, I knew exactly what the son of the bitch is trying to say. He then asked again 'Don't you think so Ry?' and I replied him 'Yeah.', but in my mind I was thinking 'Yeah, and isn't it interesting that its all made from China?'. but I ain't gonna play mind games with him.. I can't risk it. I had to get my money and run... I mean he didn't even write down the hours I worked there.. but have no fear because I wrote it down myself, there was absolutely NO RECORD of my existence in the work place, he could literally not pay me and deny knowing me and I would have no evidence to support myself. The day is coming to an end and he was about to leave, so I grabbed him and I asked if I can have my pay right now as I needed the money for the weekend. He paused for a bit and smiled, I told him how many hours I worked, I even did the calculations for him so he wouldn't try to take a few hours off >.<' He saw the figures and took out his wallet and paid me in cash (Not through bank transfer? Not gonna leave any records are we Dr G?). He tells me he will see me again on monday and I said yes sure! But in reality I have made a decision to not show up ever again, I cannot work in a place where the boss is so manipulative and untrustworthy. I didn't show up on monday, he called me to see where I am and I told him I had an interview with another job, I mean why not? After all, working for Dr G was just a trial right?

I didn't tell the chinese workers anything about this, I am not Robinhood ok? *sigh* Today I did a quick google search on how this 'Change the way the internet system works'' website is going, the page didn't look any different to how it looked a few years ago! It has shit all on it, with a crappy logo and has little to no information about what they do. I mean I even MADE them a logo while I worked tehre, but they must be lazy as hell to replace it with mine. Or maybe Dr G has a bitter experience with me cos he felt that I just took his money and ran. Whatever it is, I am glad I didn't stay at that company, so to anyone reading this, please becareful of who you work for, just because a company has a table and computer and room for you to work in doesn't mean the boss won't try to rip you off. Know your legal rights and do not be subjected to criminal abuse. Ry-Spirit cares.