We've got past due from May to the tune of $1300.  They were always really good payers in the past.  Called in December and was told hopefully a check for some of it would be cut by "next week".  Never received a call back from a/p guy.  Called again today and she was very nice and said she remembered our last conversation and that they are waiting for checks to arrive so they can pay "something  -  not sure how much right now".  I feel for them, it sounds like they are hurting, but just wanted to give a heads-up to anyone getting a request from them.  We are hurting, too, with sooooo many clients who've disappeared or become unreachable.  And we can't even write off our time spent doing searches we aren't getting paid for - searches we could've been doing for paying clients.  I know these companies are in the same boat we are, but I rarely contract work out - specifically because I can't afford to pay someone else for work that I may not even get paid for.  Where does this end?