A few months ago, I shared in another sub about how unhappy I am with my current client. For context, I am a freelance PR consultant and writer, working with several clients at a time. All of them know this. I'm a part-timer, and I work remotely. I'm really good at what I do.
One of my clients, however, whom I had worked with for almost 1.5 years, was really pushing my boundaries.:
- The agency owner is Sarah. The junior consultant, Jane, and I are on contract but expected to perform like full-time staff. She only ever has contractors to save on money.
- No benefits of any kind. No healthcare.
- Harassed into working late and weekends (outside of contracted hours, and not paid for it).
- Sarah, constantly micromanages, criticizes me, and makes frequent long phone calls for everything to both of us. Everything, for example would include her calling to say she'd call later.
- Sarah also calls and texts outside of contracted hours.
- No insurance coverage when we go on-site for events, meetings, and interviews.
- New accounts and clients that traveled a lot, requiring constant texting at all hours.
- Multiple group chats that were always busy, with Sarah tagging us all the time, out of contracted hours, on weekends, and when we had time off.
- Essentially we were treated like a factory. She'd bring in new accounts and we'd have to keep producing.
It got worse and worse. I had been very clear about my boundaries regarding contracted hours and lunchtime, but Sarah kept pushing them. If I didn't pick up the phone immediately, I had to explain myself.
We had an argument in May where she essentially tried to get me to offer to work the weekend, and I refused. There was a lot of passive-aggressiveness from Sarah, mocking me (saying kindergarteners could do the work I do), jumping to conclusions (immediately assuming I hadn't done something I already had), isolating me, correcting me in front of clients even though I was saying what she had said before, and constantly complimenting Jane (the junior consultant), small mistakes (wrong document attached to email), we're brought up over and over.
But I couldn't resist much; I needed the money. I'm sorry to say that my mental health went down the drain, and my body began to fall apart from stress.
A few weeks ago, I took about a week's accumulated leave (remember, we had to pretend this was a full-time company and “earn” 2 days off every month), and Sarah was furious. She threatened to cut my pay even though she acknowledged I had earned the time off from working when I wasn't supposed to.
I couldn't say anything. I'm the sole breadwinner for a large family and had to let her bully me.
In July, I began quietly upskilling myself, getting certifications in other areas I want to pursue. I also decided to leave but wanted the contract to run its course. If I had informed her earlier, she would have cut the contract and paid me less.
Last week, she told me she wouldn't be renewing the contract. Very cut and dry, she didn't thank me and forbade me from telling the clients. Poor Jane, unfortunately, who is already struggling from the frequent phone calls and having to work out of hours, will be saddled with my accounts.
I'm not gonna lie, I had hoped we could part on better terms. I realize now that I was someone she could never control—someone with boundaries, and that never worked for her. She wanted us all to play along with the act that we were a happy, full-time agency. But with every new account, only she benefited, not us.
There are only a few weeks more to go, and I really hope I can recover my health by then. I've been to the doctor several times as my stress and anxiety are through the roof. I have extreme burnout and am physically struggling to function.
I'm also kinda embarrassed that one woman could bring me to this. And part of me is angry—I deserved better. I was good at my job, but that didn't matter to her.
But I'm looking forward to the future. The future is bright.