I am posting this because I don't know where else to turn.

I have started working at a new job and was very excited to land it. I have been working my butt off.

The only problem is that HR has been out sick for the first two weeks that I was working.

My boss requested that I come in and work anyway for free.

I know this is illegal, and have been holding my breath until the two weeks were up.

I have just found out it will be another month until I can be hired officially.

Let's say at the end of that month, my boss wants to turn me away with no pay, there is nobody that I can turn to. He could hire me--- he SHOULD hire me-- but he said that he doesn't want to deal with HR, and he'll hire me after I prove I can do the job in a month-- for free.

This is really affecting me. I feel terrible and stressed out. It's like, the stress of the first month of a job, plus the stress of pretending I don't mind NOT BEING PAID, and deliberately NOT BEING PAID, though I applied through an official HR process and everything. Even in my free time, I feel owned, like a slave.

When I brought these issues up, my boss (?) emailed me the resumes, transcripts, and recommendation letters of the people he hired me over (!!!!). Isn't this against the law???????????????????????????????????????????

This job doesn't pay that much, but it has good a benefits package (which I will receive... at an indefinite time). I am dying to get hired officially and leverage the job to find a new job, since it will be easier to get a new job after proving employment.

By the way, this is for a very reputable institution that if you heard the name of it, would be really surprising. I don't want to say the name of it, but I feel like I knew it was too good to be true.

Meanwhile, my job is still being advertised online and my colleagues all know that I am working for free as a volunteer!

What would I do? Should I walk away?

Yes, this is illegal, yes, I know I am being asked to lie. It's so so so so upsetting to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By the way, I am especially sensitive to this because the last three jobs I have had, my actual salary has ended up being lower than the negotiated salary, and/or, I have been promised (but did not receive) a full job after an unpaid "probationary" period, which I later found out would not happen.

Yea, unfortunately, I know that in this economy, that's normal, sucks.

Anyway this is really long winded but does anyone know what I can do? Should I walk away from this one?

Thank you for your help!!!