I was a full-time Graphic Designer for this company for 2 years. My last day of work before the holidays was Dec. 16 (the whole team worked until Dec. 19 before office shutdown for the holiday), I used my remaining leave because I had a planned trip with my family. This was also an approved leave. My team in that company loves urgent requests, the kind you need in the afternoon and then they request in the afternoon. I’ve told them multiple times that design requests should be given ahead of time because they don’t just do it. When I checked my inbox on Dec. 17, they had urgent requests and asked if I could render work that day. I read that it was Dec. 18, that same day on the 18th, our HR Manager messaged us that we needed to have an urgent call. I replied and said I could do an hour of call that day since I was on vacation. Then there it was, she told me that they weren’t satisfied with my work and that Dec. 16 was my official last day of work. She still wanted me to prepare an offboarding doc on that very same day and schedule a call with her and my evil boss for proper turnover since I was holding a lot of creative files. I said, I can’t do it that day and that I can send it resume to the office on Jan. 5. I was initially willing to schedule a call with them for the turnover but then I realized how bad they treated me throughout my tenure with them up until they terminated me without notice while I was on vacation. Now, I was thinking of just organizing everything in a document and sending a proper exit email and that was my turnover. Plus, I fortunately landed a new job which I’ll be starting on Jan. 7 so I really don’t have time. Is this okay? I’m worried they might hold my final pay. I haven’t paid my last paycheck since Dec. 1-16.
EDTI: sorry, I did not add that this is an AU company and that I was under contract with them. The contract says that 15 working days notice is needed for contract termination but honestly at this point, I just want to focus on my new job (thankfully better pay and overall package in my new job). I don't have any idea how to go after cases like this with AU based clients.
Assuming you are an independent contractor...you have no liabilities regarding the turnovers.. they can instead buy it from you paid upfront before giving files... The whole nine yards.
This, then ask double pay since di kana employed jan HAHAHA
Genuinely asking, what are the chances op could charge 3-5x as "consultation fee"?
+1
They can't do shit with the files u have, just say give me my money first then ill give u what u want, that's the least u can do, after terminating me while enjoying my approved vacation. You may all rot in hell. Pressed send lol
may company dati nag-resign ako ayaw ibigay yung last pay so pina-pause ko internet nila kasi sa akin naka-pangalanm
kaliwaan kami ng cheque and authority to transfer sa account nila yung internet hahahaah
This! Payment first then turnover the files. Don't give in to their request unless bayaran last pay period mo.
Malicious compliance... say that you can't do anything because you are already fired and has not been paid.
Bro, you have an illegal dismissal case and yung worry mo pa is turn over? Go find a labor lawyer and assert your rights. May compensation ka pang makukuha if they decide to settle. Teach them a lesson.
Since this is buhaydigital, im guessing OP is a contractor with loose termination clause
Oh, never realized that. Akala ko sa antiwork pako. Haha! You’re right. Thanks for pointing it out.
Read up on AU rules.
Nasa buhaydigital tayo e, most likely foreign client 'yan tapos contractor role. Wala tayong laban sa ganyan, sadly. :(
One of the biggest downsides of earning $ is not being protected by our labor laws.
OP @u/switcharooo19 there is a recent rulings by the Australian Fair Work Commission that might help your case. Check the Pascua v. The Doessel Group case re unfair dismissal case
+1 on this! If AU, get in touch with Fairwork. There was a landmark case that the ex employee offshore won. So u might have a case
NAL.
If the last pay ain't that substantial and you can do without it, wag ka na magturnover. Block mo sila sa lahat ng soc med accnts mo. Make them realize how shitty they treated you.
It is 2026, be as petty as 50 Cent.
Or... require them to remit your final pay before you agree to a turnover ;)
Plus 1, remit your final pay before you do the turn over as non-nego but I’ll make sure I’ll do the turnover a disaster to them
Make it as generic as possible. Files mixed in together all in one folder and no subfolders.
Yes, I always do this! Petty kung petty, I'll patol LOL
Final pay includes 15 day notice. Hindi pwedeng last mo na nung kelan.
Lmao, revenge stories to hahaha and you'll find out you cost the client thousands in dollars 🤣
They will definitely hold your last pay. Pero if you can leave without it, I’d recommend you just assume they wont pay and dont do any turnover. Iwas anxiety lang
Also, you did nothing wrong. Company was plagued with lots of organizational issues * Frequent urgent requests usually means a lack of planning and/or client management (not unless you’re on a support role). Dito mo talaga mararamdaman ang matinong manager hinde individual contributor pretending to be a manager * Your manager approved your leave. Bakit wala siyang plan on how to handle your work while you’re away? Another mismanagement * Why tf they did terminate you before making sure they dont really need you anymore. Kulang na naman sa Business Continuity. Parang nagsisante ng dahil sa galit. Kulang sa utak
Wag ka magturnover. Sabotage them before you leave as much as you can.
Kupal sila eh. Kupalin mo din on your way out.
Anong AU company to para maiwasan hahaha
Tell them to pay your consultancy fee or they can kick rocks. Bill 10x your old rate, and ask for a 50% DP before any work is sent.
My man. mukang malabo na makuha final pay mo sa ginawa nila. Congrats nakakuha ka kapalit nila.
Ignore them and focus sa new work mo.
The right answer. May breach nga sa contract kasi may 15 day notice pala dapat. Screw them.
If they terminated you from work without notice while on leave, expect more shady practices from them moving forward.
Like still not giving you final pay or "paying for the files" once you transferred them.
If you have a new gig lined up, focus on that and have peace of mind.
I would email the ceo straight. Wag ka na dumaan sa hr. Find his private email as well. If there is a board, email them all. And explain what happened. And say when you get the final pay, you can turn over.
Wag mo bigay files. Wait mo silang bayaran ka. The moment na makuha nila yan wala na sila pake sayo. Ikaw ang maglead sa narrative ng buhay mo
Depende yan ano priority mo. Makuha yung pay or maging petty.
Since terminated ka na pala, you aren't an employee anymore. Pabayarin mo sila for you to turnover tapos x5 yung rate lol
But if you don't want to burn bridges, just do the turnover for your clearance tapos after that move on na
Idk how much ur being paid OP, but weigh your options. Baka hindi na worth it na bumalik for turnover in exchange sa final pay mo, given na may new job ka na rin naman. Baka mas stressful pang bumalik sa kanila given how they treated you. At this point cut your losses and move on na lang if this option makes sense to you.
Hello! I suggest demand your last payment before doing the turnover. If ayaw nila, you can threaten them na isusumbong mo sila sa proper authorities in Australia. May recent landmark case in AUS that a Filipina independent contractor won. Australians are usally law abiding kaya I feel like baka mag bago treatment nila sayo if they know na may rights ka even if you are a remote worker. See article here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-06-03/filipino-woman-changed-game-for-australias-offshore-workers/104750996
Idk. NAL but seems like illegal termination without cause?
NAL means what?
Not a lawyer... Given this is a different sub... Contact the BBB if that's a US job
Sorry, pero I don’t think may bearing pa ang BBB ngayon. Mas takot pa ang mga businesses sa social media reviews kaysa sa BBB, to be honest.
Not A Lawyer
hindi ko sure kung nabanggit na ng iba pero hindi ba technically na hindi Dec. 16 last day mo kasi sabi mo ay naka-leave ka at approved pa ng kumpanya? Diba dapat may bayad pa yun? Napakasama naman na bigla lang sila nag-desisyon sa isang partikular na date ehhhh NAKA-LEAVE ka nga. Nakakagigil. Sorry. Pero congrats na rin at nakawala ka na sa ganung sitwasyon at ang bilis ng blessing sayo na may work kaagad. Huwag mo hayaang dayain ka nila sa last pay. Gawin mo yung sinabi ng iba na humingi ng tulong sa mga lawyers kung sakali man. Good luck OP! Wishing you all the best!
https://preview.redd.it/x3zkq7h8aabg1.jpeg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cb1ec8d3aa2f30e4f7c9a2a546650dad11e5a3fd
Use this mate, it can be handy as a leverage OP use option 1 and they will defo kneel. It's a very expensive stunt they pulled make sure you have correspondences.
Local employment or independent contractor for offshore work?
If I was you I'd keep the files lol
ask for your pay first before turnover or yk what just fucc them. but also congrats sa new work!! dsurv!
My advise is to just organize your own files for your portfolio and future endeavors and don’t give your files. They can forget about the turnover. If they can terminate you in an instant then you have no obligation for a turnover since turnovers are done during tendering days and not beyond your last working day. Beyond your last day, you have no obligation and the company can forget about your files and can be considered as good as gone. Plus you can file a complaint for damages
Even in australian law, it is illegal to terminate people while on leave. If you are an independent contractor, then that 15days notice does not apply since they initiated it. Read your contract carefully re: termination. You can charge them fck all per hour for turnover, 1000aud per hour, malicious compliance.
You are also not sure if you’ll gonna get paid even after the turnover. Ask them money upfront. And good on u for landing the next jon. You can hurt them more by just ignoring them right now.
DO NOT TURNOVER PERIOD
Not sure if pwede ka mag file with AU Ombudsman you can send them email AFAIK
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You have the upper hand here pero depende how desperate you are sa final pay mo. I suggest no turnover docs or files until final pay has been deposited
Its either they put your hard earned money first in your bank and send them the files, or forget the money send them the files but flatten all the images and videos in the files. 😂.
No matter how bad it turned out, I am just glad you landed a new client.
Charge them $100/hr for turnover. Pay first before turning over.
Benta mo un portfolio sa black market haha
Do not turnover. Ask for 15 days worth of salary before you turnover anything.
Demand.
15 day notice means 3 working weeks ka dapat bayad excluded ung leave mo. So kung kelan natapos leave mo dun ung count.
Kaliwaan. Wag ka papayag at wag ka papatakot.
Orrr kung gusto mo stress free at ok lang ung pera mawala.
Edi block em and fk em
AU client, typical
If it was me, honestly, I'd just do it para wala na masabi. But at the end of the day, ikaw yan, so what do you think? 🤔
I had the same situation pero mabait naman mga boss ko. Business decision lang. biglaan ni layoff pero nkalagay din sa contract atleast 15 days notice. Hindi sila nag notice pero binayaran ako ng 1month pay. You should ask for that 15days na notice on top of your natirang days na nag work ka.
NAL but I think you've been illegally dismissed. Find a labor lawyer or at least file it in DOLE and ask your previous employer bakit grounds for termination yung pagterminate sayo.
I think you can be transparent naman. By the sound of it, you don’t want to shake the boat further and just exit peacefully. If my guess is right, I’d prep all files and give them an hour for the turnover call.
While nakakainis talaga yung situation, let’s look at it logically. Business has needs that’s why they have employees/contractors and if we’re not available, hahanap sila ng iba who can do it. And honestly, not an environment you’d want to stay around for (unless ok ka naman dun). Fortunately, you have the capacity to choose. For me, close this chapter as peaceful as you can para wala sila reason to hold your pay and you can move on to your new client. Best of luck!
Lol no. New year na, wag tayo magbigay ng troll advice.
This is a clear case of illegal dismissal. Let's not normalize companies breaking the labor code and puro employee na lang magpapasensya.
Buhay digital naman to so i would assume na foreign company ung employer nya at di covered ng illegal dismissal lol
Exactly this.
HR got involved and OP said he was terminated during paid leave, kahit foreign company iyung client niya, its obvious he's being managed by an offshoring agency as his official employee of record.
San ang obvious jan lol Au company nga wla xang sinabi na may offshore agency. Hetong isa to assuming ka masyado
Well congratulations and happy new year, mas matalino ka sa akin, lol.
Illegal termination yan bro, go file sa dole. Laki makukuha mo dyan
Buhay digital sub
HR got involved and there are paid leaves being discussed. Regular employment yan.
To answer your question, yes they can hold your final pay until you finish your clearance, which in this case is your turn over document. That being said, I agree with the others here that you have a case for illegal dismissal. Under Philippine law you cannot be fired without just cause which the company would need to prove by showing grave misconduct, or showing a paper trail of previous chats with you on your substandard output.