Breaching the contract

This time my gripe isn't with the students, it is with the universities. More than once this month universities that I have signed contracts with, and completed work for, did not pay me on time. I find it unprofessional that an employer for whom I have completed all of my work on time and up to par is 5-7 days late paying me for my services.

One of the universities has yet to pay me for three weeks of work. I was supposed to be paid before Thanksgiving. I received an email on the payday stating that there was a "computer error" and that pay checks should be deposited the day after Thanksgiving. This would not be the end of the world IF it actually occurred. However it did not.

On a side note the "computer error" scenario presents several problems for me. 1. If you were supposed to mail checks out to people who should receive them on the pay date that means that you should have been aware at least three days prior to the pay date that there was a problem. 2. that this happened at all means that someone was not doing their job and did not catch the error.

As a result if payment has not been received for services rendered what options do I have? To not work in the classroom until I receive payment? To file a complaint with the labor board?

Not all snowflakes are deformed

I am reaching the end of my current class and I am vastly relieved that this batch of snowflakes are not half-melted when they got to me. The last class I taught was terrible. I seriously questioned whether or not I was teaching a special ed class and not a college course - I would bet at least half of them were borderline retarded. (So not PC I know).

This time I am pleasantly surprised that outside of the regular snowflakiness (i.e. begging to turn in late assignments, trying to haggle for that .1o of a grade, etc.) they are a reasonably intelligent group who is working hard. Which is good because the last class made me question my university and their admittance policy.

I am also starting to work at a new university for a trial class. My trial not theirs as I do not know if I like how they run their classes and the communication between the admin and the teachers is poor and so is the pay. However there is a possibility to get more classes at the same time here so I am hoping this is a good lead!