What is this guy supposed to do? Show up with a bouquet of flowers and ask nicely? It sounds like he's already tried the carrot and now it's time for the stick. These people owe almost $10k and basically told him to go piss up a flagpole.
Of course it's going to hurt the other company and its employees, but think about how it's going to affect the submitter's company and small group of employees if they don't get paid for their work. It's a bad situation all around, but it's not the submitter's fault that these people have a employer who doesn't pay bills and he shouldn't have to suffer because of it.
I would probably talk to a lawyer first. For minimal fees you could have a few nastygrams sent out and the threat of a lawsuit might do the trick. If that doesn't work selling the debt to a collection agency for cents on the dollar might be the most cost effective solution.
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Or you could get creative as boredguy8 suggests. I think it's a fantastic idea. It may or may not work, but it doesn't cost much and there's no PR fallout.
Of course it's going to hurt the other company and its employees, but think about how it's going to affect the submitter's company and small group of employees if they don't get paid for their work. It's a bad situation all around, but it's not the submitter's fault that these people have a employer who doesn't pay bills and he shouldn't have to suffer because of it.
I would probably talk to a lawyer first. For minimal fees you could have a few nastygrams sent out and the threat of a lawsuit might do the trick. If that doesn't work selling the debt to a collection agency for cents on the dollar might be the most cost effective solution.
[edit] Or you could get creative as boredguy8 suggests. I think it's a fantastic idea. It may or may not work, but it doesn't cost much and there's no PR fallout.