Small Company Fucking Employees

[Dunn]

I work for a private ambulance company and we have been having problems with the bossman. While I am kinda stuck here for the time being as I am just an EMT and those spots are hard to find, I would like to see what kind of action I/We could take if shit got worse. Here is how he is screwing us:

1) Bounced Checks
Paychecks, all over $500 felony mark, have been bouncing over the last few months. I have had 2 bounce personally. He is quick to correct the situation but it still ends up causing me to bounce a payment or 2. He pays the bounced check fees but it still shows on my account record.

2) Insurance
I missed this bullet but it still hit other folks. He was taking the premiums from their paychecks for "insurance". Had an employee rupture a spleen at home and when they billed her it was realized that nobody had insurance yet the money was still being taken out as "insurance" on their paychecks. The one employee had over $16k in medical bills that the boss said he would pay on the side.

3) Workman's Comp
Had a coworker fall while washing the truck and separated his shoulder. Torn rotator cuff and all that jazz. Turns out that he cannot get surgery or treatment due to the boss not having a workman's comp plan....which I though was required by law. Considering that this field is full of dangers this concerns me greatly.

[TerryB]

1 & 2) U.S. Department of Labor (probably the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement for the bounced checks) and possibly a similar State agency
3) State agency that administer's State's worker's compensation plan

[The Ginger Beard Man]

NLRB.

[The Crawdaddy]

Da Boss (Better half) who has run many small companies as a comptroller:

She says it's obvious the owner is floating the company on his own dime, and the house of cards will collapse.

1. Federal law says more than 3 employees full-time requires workman's comp insurance. Contact the NLRB.
2. Payroll is also Labor Board. He's probably not paying federal taxes on time or the unemployment either.

Start looking for a job ASAP, and report this before more people get screwed. If you need some help with resume etc (she does this stuff), PM me, and I'll help you out.

[bigpeach]

Buy that new car you were talking about and use it as your own private ambulance service.

[Pinky]

Lawyer. And look for a new job.

[Shafpocalypse Now]

Dunn:

Document everything. If a paycheck bounces, get the bank to put it in a letter or something.

You're going to get fucked over for at least 2 weeks pay, given that he probably held that out when you started.

He's probably into something on the side that's eating the cash.

[Gin Master]

He was taking the premiums from their paychecks for "insurance". Had an employee rupture a spleen at home and when they billed her it was realized that nobody had insurance yet the money was still being taken out as "insurance" on their paychecks.

RRG?

Get out ASAP. What everyone said is right. What's worse is that this guy is probably not carrying professional liability/malpractice insurance on you, which can really leave you in a bind.

[lasalle]

Since you asked: You should be spending every ounce of your mental energy and 100% of your free time on getting the fuck out of there. It's about to collapse.

Knock yourself out. Call the NLRB. Hopefully you'll hear back from them with a case number by June. And then what are they going to do? Your employer will have blown whatever's left of the money. There are no deep pockets. All of this "who can help me" stuff is just you trying to placate your butthurt pride. Just get out.

Been there. It sucks. Good luck.

[Shafpocalypse Now]

Seriously, Dunn...GTFU. I was in a similar situation in a contracting company. The owner didn't pay my taxes either. A paycheck bounced, then was honored, and the owner pleaded with us to stay on for another cycle, while he was looting the assets of that company to put into another company. By the time it was done, I was out over 8 weeks of pay.

[KingSchmaltzBagelHour]

Glad I was never a Tater Toter...
That sucks Dunn...bail quickly.

[Dunn]

Noted all. I spoke with my parttime job with the possibility of making it fulltime.

[Dunn]

They are claiming that Medicare has changed their paying system so the company has not gotten a payment from them since December. That still shouldn't matter since things shouldn't be so tight that we are reliant on that shit. Found out today that he has been using a good ole boy credit at our fuel station so we can keep the trucks running. The current fuel bill is over $40k so far.

I have 6 months left til I get my medic license. When the paychecks deposit the money is good but that can only carry us so far. If the current part-time gig becomes my full-time gig we are talking about at least a $500 a month pay cut. This shit is gonna drive me nuts. Every time I think shit is going well this stuff happens. Makes me regret I have not joining the military. C'est la vie.

[Pinky]

Btw, the NLRB does less than some people seem to think it does. From their FAQ:

What can I do if I have a problem regarding my pay, benefits, vacation time, or other work-related matter?

If you have questions about your paycheck, wages, tips, work hours, overtime, breaks, vacation pay, or the Family Medical Leave Act, please contact the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division at http://www.dol.gov/whd/ .

If you are concerned about work-related safety and health, please contact http://www.osha.gov.

If you believe you've been discriminated against because of race, ethnicity, religion, age, gender, national origin or sexual orientation, please contact http://www.eeoc.gov.

For questions about Social Security benefits, please contact http://www.ssa.gov.

The NLRB does not enforce state and local laws relating to employment, such as unemployment benefits or workers' compensation. For a list of state labor offices, please click here.

[Turdacious]

When you cash your checks, take them to the employer's bank, not yours. They will probably cash it for no fee (if they charge a fee, consider opening a small account). The employer's bank will know if the money's there right now, your bank doesn't know for up to five working days.

[Dunn]

When you cash your checks, take them to the employer's bank, not yours. They will probably cash it for no fee (if they charge a fee, consider opening a small account). The employer's bank will know if the money's there right now, your bank doesn't know for up to five working days.

I have done this in the past and while it avoids the return checks and all, I have to drive to a bank in the next county only to have them say that my check is unable to be cashed due to insufficient funds. It gets old.

[Fat Cat]

murder him

[Turdacious]

When you cash your checks, take them to the employer's bank, not yours. They will probably cash it for no fee (if they charge a fee, consider opening a small account). The employer's bank will know if the money's there right now, your bank doesn't know for up to five working days.

I have done this in the past and while it avoids the return checks and all, I have to drive to a bank in the next county only to have them say that my check is unable to be cashed due to insufficient funds. It gets old.

Call the bank, and ask if the funds are in the account-- then drive out. You may be able to get a hold put on the funds. It sucks, but if your employer only has enough funds to pay part of the salaries he owes-- you want to get yours first.

[ccrow]

If your paycheck bounces aren't you eligible for unemployment?

I worked for a small company, good people, but they just ran out of money and bounced my paycheck. I didn't even think about going to work, I went to the office to make it clear I expected my compensation no matter what. They apologized, I think sincerely, and told me they would call when there were funds to redeposit it.

The first call I made was to one of my roommates who was now a lawyer, he talked me out of letting myself in that night to grab some collateral. The next call was to a friend that I figured could get me in at the gas station he worked at, I was pumping gas for minimum wage the next day.

Important lesson. I called the bank at nine am sharp every day to see if sufficient funds were in the account. The first day there was, I went straight to the nearest branch and cashed it. They never called.

[tzg]

Get out. Now. This isn't going to end well.

[WildGorillaMan]

Get out. When it all goes to shit you're gonna be holding the bag.

I worked through one employer's bankruptcy, and believed their promises of a brighter future. I will never do that again.

[TerryB]

Whatever happened to employee loyalty??

[Holland Oates]

Whatever happened to employee loyalty??

I blame the unions.

[Dunn]

UPDATE:

Got hired on with the fire department and we start Jan 7 so I turned in my two weeks notice.

Last pay day we were told our checks might not be good until that next Monday. Today we were told the same, right before Christmas, so I quit. They are not happy but my supervisor seems to understand.

I will be picking up a few hours over the next 2 weeks at the part-time job, Starbucks, to make sure ends are met until I start with the city.

[Mickey O'neil]

Good for you.