I was laid off last week with 0 days notice (company is calling it an “unpaid vacation” and they say they expect to be back up and running by next month) and I requested the layoff notice in writing to have as documentation. That same day, I received a request to sign a release form for videos I made that have my face and voice in them.
I am not technically an employee with the company, although they tell me I am without offering any benefits of employment. I’m legally a contractor who has worked with this company for years.
When I asked for written notice of the layoff they were surprised that I would be looking for other employment (?!). They said they would provide the notice. Then they asked once again for me to sign the release. I told them please send the release with the notice and I’ll get it back to the the same day. They still haven’t sent the notice and now are saying they will only send the written notice after I sign the release.
From their POV, is there any reason for them to not send me the written notice? Are they afraid I might never sign the release? Personally I’m afraid that I’ll sign the release and then they’ll disappear as they have not been trustworthy in the past. And because they already operate semi-illegally (no real employees, all contractors, no contracts), if they disappear I will have basically never worked there and I’ll have no evidence that I was laid off only due to lack of funds.