Am I entitled to my check?

[sarah419]

Okay I started a new job in early August. A person I knew at my then job had a brother looking for someone to work at his office. It was without a doubt the worst work environment I have ever been in. The other girl with me would cry DAILY due to this guy yelling, swearing and blaming her for everything. As for me in the interview I was told by him that I would be trained *possibly sent to headquarters* I was never sent I asked him and he said "uh apparently you don't listen do you? I'm going to train you" Right, cut to me sitting in my chair for two weeks trying to train myself while he A) took naps in his office b) stood outside chain smoking c) came by and told us how behind we were making him work wise and that he needed a new job. Finally the other girl actually approached him and said "you know Sarah is sitting there and no one is showing her anything" His reply? "You know what, I'll fire ya both, I don't give a shi*"After some time I found out all the dirty secrets. His wife is on the payroll but surprise, does not work there. They have gone thorough 8 girls in 6 months, and raises are around 30 cents annually. DESPITE all this I kept plodding along hoping somehow it would get better. Then one day he throws payroll at me which I have never laid eyes on! I asked him as politely as I could if he could explain it to me (it's one thing to train myself but I was not about to screw up people's paychecks) he roles his eyes and says it's not that difficult! So I asked a milage question and shouts out me "well thats obviously not what it is" then he proceeded into his office. I sat there a second my head pounding. I didn't know if I wanted to cry or scream. The other girl begged me not to quit and leave her alone but I just couldn't take another second. I really needed that job and I now have an enemy in his brother who used to be a friend of mine but I was so stressed over him and that place that I was getting physically sick.

Anyway I ended up walking. I have never ever done that in my life, it goes against the type of worker I am but I just could not do it a second more. Anyway I worked almost three weeks. Checks came out last week and I still have not received mine. I called the office and the girl I worked with says she has no idea where it is and is so busy she can't look for it. The thing is I know this guy is going to bust my ba*** so I'm wondering without a notice am I not entitled to my check? People tell me that whatever you work they owe you but I wonder if there isn't some stipulation. I want to pursue this (I obviously need that money right now) but I would like to know if I have a leg to stand on. If anyone could give me some input it would be VERY appreciated.

[jdm2008315]

You are entitled to your paycheck and that you left without notice doesn't make them not responsible for paying you. Is your boss the owner? Is it a big company? If it is a big company or there is a HR department I imagine it won't be too hard to get your check if you talk to them directly as they can get in a lot of trouble for not paying you. If the person who is charge of payroll isn't helping than talk to your boss( her or his boss too right?) if your boss gives you a hard time, talk to someone above him.

[norajane]

Yes, you are owed pay for the weeks you worked. Go stand in his office until he finds your check - he's legally required to pay you.

[Art_Critic]

He has to pay you for all the time you worked there.. minus taxes of course..

but if he takes out the taxes make sure you had a w-4 filed and he pays the taxes to the government..

 

Go to your state department of labor office and file a complaint if he refuses to pay you your earnings..

 

What he is doing is theft of your wages..

[Art_Critic]

This link is from the dept of labor.. it tells you what you need to do..

 

http://www.dol.gov/dolfaq/go-dol-faq.asp?faqid=520&faqsub=Recordkeeping+%26+Reporting&faqtop=Wages+%26+Work+Hours&topicid=1

 

http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/wages/backpay.htm

[Guest]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Well I called the office today to see if my check was there and he told me I had never used time sheets and that my time was never put in. (I had asked him about that repeatedly and he kept using HIS login name and telling me that he was putting my time in, how naive was I?) anyway I politley reminded him that I was never given a password or id to put my time in and he says "well you should have thought about that before your boyfriend complained about me." First off one has nothing to do with the other and second what is he saying? He'll withhold my check because my boyfriend filed a complaint?! Anyway I called the corporate headquarters and they said they would get my info and call me tomorrow. Can you believe this?? Just give me what I earned, all I want to do is cut ties with this nightmare!!

[LucreziaBorgia]

You will want to report this. Are you in Mass? Here is the information that you need to file a complaint:

 

How to File A Wage Complaint

 

If you are not in Mass, look up the Attny. General for your state, and find out how to file the complaint in that state.

 

This asshat has what is coming to him, if you ask me. If he has screwed you, imagine how many other people he has screwed in a similar fashion. I would love to see this guy get a full scale investigation and audit courtesy of his state Attny General.

[sarah419]

Thanks so much LucreziaBorgia, you're right something needs to be done about this guy. I talked headquarters today and they informed me that according to his info I left early every day. CAN YOU BELIEVE THE BA*** on this guy!? The good thing was they asked me if I would mind going into specifics about what excatly the office environment was and I was all too ready to let them know. It sounds to me like they already had their suspicions that something was foul and maybe no one else was willing to come forward and say so. Anyway that link is great to have since I still not have my check in hand. I took enough crap from this moron to back down on what I'm owed.

[sarah419]

By the way, anyone have an opinion on what is the best way to reply if a prospective employer asked me why I left? Thanks in advance

[LucreziaBorgia]

You can say that you were in a hostile work environment in which you were working for someone who illegally had you working off the books, and lied to his superiors about the amount of time you did work.

[LucreziaBorgia]

Oh.. and don't let 'talking to headquarters' keep you from filing a formal complaint. The last thing you want is for headquarters to investigate and 'find nothing'. When it comes to investigation, it is always best to have an impartial third party doing the digging. They are less likely to take one story over another, and will let the facts speak for themselves.

[sarah419]

On a complete side note I ran into this assho*** brother today and he walked right by me and made this whatever sound. I took him aside and explained the situation and this was his reply "Well, I told you he was didfficult to work for" Okay first of all difficult to work would be an extremely genorous description of this psycho. Secondly he did not say that, he told me his bro was *get this* emotional! Anyway I have decided that once I have my check and all that I am going to file a formal complaint. Obviously this guy has walked around unaffected by his behavior because for some reason I can't understand people are constantly making excuses for him or looking the other way. I'm not really sure why I posted this other than the fact that I am so damn pissed off and having his brother talk to me like I was wrong just fueled my fire!!!!!!

[Kasan]

It's also a law in Mass that time sheets need to be kept on file..but I am not sure of the length of time. The AG's office can probably let you know.

 

Good luck

[justice]

Okay I started a new job in early August. A person I knew at my then job had a brother looking for someone to work at his office. It was without a doubt the worst work environment I have ever been in. The other girl with me would cry DAILY due to this guy yelling, swearing and blaming her for everything. As for me in the interview I was told by him that I would be trained *possibly sent to headquarters* I was never sent I asked him and he said "uh apparently you don't listen do you? I'm going to train you" Right, cut to me sitting in my chair for two weeks trying to train myself while he A) took naps in his office b) stood outside chain smoking c) came by and told us how behind we were making him work wise and that he needed a new job. Finally the other girl actually approached him and said "you know Sarah is sitting there and no one is showing her anything" His reply? "You know what, I'll fire ya both, I don't give a shi*"After some time I found out all the dirty secrets. His wife is on the payroll but surprise, does not work there. They have gone thorough 8 girls in 6 months, and raises are around 30 cents annually. DESPITE all this I kept plodding along hoping somehow it would get better. Then one day he throws payroll at me which I have never laid eyes on! I asked him as politely as I could if he could explain it to me (it's one thing to train myself but I was not about to screw up people's paychecks) he roles his eyes and says it's not that difficult! So I asked a milage question and shouts out me "well thats obviously not what it is" then he proceeded into his office. I sat there a second my head pounding. I didn't know if I wanted to cry or scream. The other girl begged me not to quit and leave her alone but I just couldn't take another second. I really needed that job and I now have an enemy in his brother who used to be a friend of mine but I was so stressed over him and that place that I was getting physically sick.

Anyway I ended up walking. I have never ever done that in my life, it goes against the type of worker I am but I just could not do it a second more. Anyway I worked almost three weeks. Checks came out last week and I still have not received mine. I called the office and the girl I worked with says she has no idea where it is and is so busy she can't look for it. The thing is I know this guy is going to bust my ba*** so I'm wondering without a notice am I not entitled to my check? People tell me that whatever you work they owe you but I wonder if there isn't some stipulation. I want to pursue this (I obviously need that money right now) but I would like to know if I have a leg to stand on. If anyone could give me some input it would be VERY appreciated.

 

 

No if you worked for the check, legally, you should recieve the check no matter if you walked out or gave notice. Contact your local labor board on this and see if they can light a fire under his insolent ass. Good luck.

[Mary3]

Wow ,I was amazed at the amount of (fines) and damages a complaintant can receive if he/she was not payed correctly. I have never been in the situation before but I hope OP gives it to him good !