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A friend whom I have not seen in a pretty long time due to him spending some time in jail for a minor crime involving dishonesty... He had a previous record so he was sentenced to a year in county jail..
He confided in me that he was working in a small store and the owner was paying him 3 dollars an hour off the books and he is working 57 hours a week... His self esteem is shot and he pretty much does not have a choice so he can at least rent a room from a person..
He said the owner told him, he has no chance of being hired anywhere else and I think he's given up looking for anything because he has a record..
He's really not a bad guy and knows he's made many mistakes in his life due to substance abuse..
He's in a sober living house right now and has been sober for over a year..
I say he needs to report his current boss, not only for wage violations but for failing to pay taxes..
This does hurt all of us in the long run... He's the only employee in the store..
I havent told him this, but it is just wrong to take advantage of someones situation and tell him he basicly has no choice but to work like this.. I dont believe he's mentally fit to understand this or belive it as his self esteem and he's pretty depressed and I think he believes this is what he deserves..
Basicly he feels like crap and is just defeated...
Who could he contact if he choses to do so in the future to maybe get back pay owed or at least report the bastard..
I have an idea. Why don't you tell him about this forum and when he's ready to report the guy, he can ask that question. I say this because I think you want to report him, and that might not be the best thing for your "friend" right now. Your "friend" would lose his job and who knows what might happen to him after that?
When he finds another job, he can report the guy himself. Until then - stay out of it.
It doesn't appear that the State of FL has an office to collect unpaid wages or enforce its minimum wage law. My read of their minimum wage law (which has a somewhat higher rate than the Federal Law) looks to the Fair Labor Standards Act. That statute covers retail enterprises with an annual dollar volume over $500,000. Hard to say if your friend's employer (include any other stores he operates) meets that test.
Your friend really needs to find another job. Obviously his current employer shouldn't be used as a reference because he is taking advantage of your friend. You need to help him find another job. Often a sober living house has a social worker available, perhaps that person or other residents of the home can help as well. Does he participate in AA? That is another group where he could network for a job.
Once he has that job he should file a complaint with the Federal Wage and Hour Division. Reading between the lines, the employer may be paying him 'off the books', not paying social security or Medicare. IRS fixes that
I have an idea. Why don't you tell him about this forum and when he's ready to report the guy, he can ask that question. I say this because I think you want to report him, and that might not be the best thing for your "friend" right now. Your "friend" would lose his job and who knows what might happen to him after that?
When he finds another job, he can report the guy himself. Until then - stay out of it.
Hell yeah I do want to report the guy...
However I will not because if I did this man would lose the job and be out on the streets most likely..
So I am staying out of it... This forum is here to ask advice and that is what I am doing..
I dont really say much to him about the situation except it is wrong..
Frankly I dont know what to say to him... Or I would have already told him to report the SOB..
Hell yeah I do want to report the guy...
However I will not because if I did this man would lose the job and be out on the streets most likely..
So I am staying out of it... This forum is here to ask advice and that is what I am doing..
I dont really say much to him about the situation except it is wrong..
Frankly I dont know what to say to him... Or I would have already told him to report the SOB..
Just keep trying to build him up and do what you can to try and help him find work. HE can report this guy after he's been at another job for a while.
Just keep trying to build him up and do what you can to try and help him find work. HE can report this guy after he's been at another job for a while.
Just be aware that there is a statute of limitations on wage claims. Don't let it go to far!
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