My brother has worked for this company for over eighteen years. He loves his job. Up until a few months ago, this company was honest, fair, and paid their employees on time with no hestitation. Low and behold, my brother had received a payroll check a few months ago, and went to deposit it into his account.
To his surprise, for the first time ever, his payroll check bounce. It was surprising shocking. I advocated for my brother asking the company to issued him a new payroll check right away and to reimbruse him the service fees imposed on his account. At first, they hesitated about the fees. I told my brother stand your ground. So, with a little pushy, stern, and tactful attitude, they issue him a payroll that included the fees from the bank. All is well, right! Wrong, a few months later, his payroll check bounces again!
Apparently, this company has been bouncing payroll checks, at least 50 or more employees have been effected by their "payroll" mishandling of funds. That is what I call it. Now, my brother told me about it. I wanted to go through the roof. My brother is a shy but yet overly nice and friendly. He is dedicated to this job, I am trying to understand why work for a company who cannot pay their employees on time. It is beyond me, but I understand he feels dedicated to this company.
This time, I told him, you have to put both feet on the ground and stand tall. Don't fall for their failures and excuses. I went down to advocate for him on his behalf. The payroll adminstrator told me that they would take care of his check later that week. My brother's personal banking account was assess services fees for checks that he wrote, after the deposit of his payroll check. The personal expense checks that he wrote were local.
So these checks were process about the same time his payroll check came in. Everything bounce. My brother has never bounce a check in his life, now his account is in jeopardy because of the "insufficient funds" payroll check. I told the payroll adminstrator to please issue him a new check on the spot. She hestiated, roll her eyes, look up at the ceiling, and said that she would take care of it. Yeah right, my brother is still waiting for the new payroll check to take care of the insufficient funds check and he is waiting for his payroll check for the two weeks that he work.
My brother gets paid every two weeks. They now owed him four weeks pay, services fees, and they should be held responsible for all additional expenses and aggravation. The company pays their employees every two weeks, so without disclosing the payday date change, it has been changed at the convienence of the employer. It is now Tuesday. My brother is out over a $1000.00 now.
This includes the insufficient funds payroll check, his current payroll check, overtime, holiday time, and all the services fees by the bank. I went down to small claims court in my area, the court staff shut the door in my face. Literally, shut the door in my face. They claimed that they do not handle these types of claims and to go elsewhere. Where is elsewhere? Words of advice...educated yourself. Used the power of the internet, and local consumer bureaus to find out where the "elsewhere" is.
The Attorney General for Fair Labor and Practices is determine to help my brother to get his payroll check, but all the other expenses incurred, my brother would have to filed a claim against the company. The office for Fair Labor and Pracitices was helpful, they explain, he can sue for "triple damages" for his loss wages. I am wondering in addition to "triple damages" can he sued for emotional distress through these difficult weeks and all the expenses incurred because of their negilience.
The way I see it, they should have not issued a payroll check to him knowing full well that the check was going to bounce. This was not an isolated event because it has happen to him and others as well in the past. Eighteen years of dedication and they do this to him. Shame on this company!!!
Maria
Springfield, Massachusetts
U.S.A.