Examining payment at the Examiner.com

In our previous episode I announced I had a new job with the Examiner.com.

Well, more like an additional job.  I still have the day job at Dueck.

My additional job is to write three to four stories a week to be posted at the Examiner.com.

I received an invitation to apply for the Examiner.com job from the Vancouver-based citizen journalism site NowPublic where I had published stories.

NowPublic does not pay for stories.  There is only glory and Internet fame.

Examiner.com does pay.  Well, they will pay.  Well, they will pay eventually.  Well, they will pay eventually if there is enough readership.

The Examiner.com's Independent Contractor Agreement and License clearly states one might not get paid, "In consideration of the Services, you will be provided exposure of your name and the Web Page.  You understand that you will not initially receive any other compensation for performance of the Services."

Okay, fair enough, but what about when they do start to pay, how will they know how much to pay?

The Examiner.com's Independent Contractor Agreement and License continues: "However, if the Web Page obtains traffic levels and/or other performance metrics determined by Examiner.com from time to time, you may be eligible for a performance-based incentive, which would be paid according to a formula and metrics to be provided to you by Examiner.com, as modified by Examiner.com from time to time in its sole discretion."

When I asked for the metrics I was told in an email from Channel Manager Grant Davis,"We don’t reveal our payment formula. Like Google AdSense/AdWords, we consider that information private intellectual property."

Of course, the Independent Contractor Agreement and License includes a confidentiality clause which would cover the payment formula.

My day job is in a field rife with commission sales people and they have some indication of what they may be paid to sell a product or service, or several products or services.

Apparently, the Examiner.com is expecting me to work for them with the hopes of getting paid according to a formula I can't know about.

This isn't right.

Related Links
Examiner.com
NowPublic

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