Complaint Review: GARY OBEROI - NY

I was never going to say or write anything , it was too embarrassing.  But after seeing some of these reports , the most recent as 2015 , when my encounter took place in 2012 , it is too upsetting to know that this man is still out there.

In 2012, I had moved to NYC for the first time , looking for a job , and came across an ad for a personal assistant.  It was not necessarily the line of work I was looking for , but the job decription of basic errands, desk work, more like receptionist work with a promised 40k salary was enlightening.

Gary almost immediately responded to my reply, and immediately began to inquire about my present situation, making it seem like the job was very highly sought after, and he would be willing to interview me.  I had just moved to NYC and didn't have much money, I picked my nicest outfit, which was totally interview appropriate, flats, dress capris, collared button down. . it wasn't glamororus but not all office attire is.  At the interview, Gary immediately commented on how bland my outfit was, asking if I had nicer work clothes if I were going to be hired. Offensive. I was totally appropriate , it seemed awkward, yet I need a job.  He said after the interview, he would train me for a week where I would be paid, and if I worked out then he would offer me the job.  

Personal assistant.  Pretty much his tasks involved me scrubbing his kitchen and bathroom spotless, going to get his hot tea for him across the street, organizing an unruly amount of files and office supplies into boxes, which he would come and inspect, and then tell me if I really wanted the job he would give me a second chance to give my "best effort." Should have been a red flag there, but I excused it as a bad day.  He also threw in an incentive of "buying" me a massage at a spa "Bliss n Care" that I later learned that he owned.  And my observations around his spa are a whole other story.  

So at the end of the week, he told me I got the job, in a weird way, like even though I had been working my a*s off all week, he was doing me a favor by having faith that I could do better.  I showed up next Monday in another work appropriate outfit, at which he made another comment that it was unpleasant to look at.  Told me that with my first week's pay I needed to go buy more flattering dress clothes.  I was waiting to fill out some sort of W-2 form, to which I found out at the end of the week he was going to pay me under the table.  He gave me $250 cash, which is less than minimum wage, far from the 40k he promised, but like an idiot, I took it because I was broke and counting on this job.  The next few weeks were totally a reflection of the beginning of it all.  Gary was so unprofessional, he always talked about himself and his "accomplishments," had me coming in and leaving at a different time each day, and when I would ask to get off at normal time he would awkwardly ask "who do you have a boyfriend/date?" or say something like "you're in NYC now , professionals work until 7 pm" . .

There was also like a week stretch where he had me setting up his new spa on the East side, cleaning a bunch of equipment that I didn't even know what it was, in a room by myself, testing equipment I didn't know what it was. . he tried to get me to write fake reviews but I purposefully never got around to it.  I was in a mess, and I hated it.  He always made me carry 50$ cash on me at least every day so if he needed something he could reimburse me at the end of the day rather than shell it out in the beginning.  I told him I didn't feel comfortable carrying unecessaary cash because I was trying to save and he made fun of me.  He was so demeaning and crude I hated it.  One day at work he even told me that he would have to start paying me less because he had to take taxes out of it.  He had to taxes out of the money he was techinically paying me under the table.  

The straw broke the camel's back the morning that I woke up expecting to go to work and Gary told me instead I would be going to Queens to open and close the spa - the spa didn't close until 8pm. I told him I couldn't work until close (normally I worked until 5 or 6 depending on his day) and I told him I had a prior engagement.  He responded by asking me if I had a boyfriend.  I had it.  I told him I couldn't work for him anymore.  He texted me a few times after that in the following weeks, which I totally ignored.  Worst experience ever.  He totally took advantage of me by being new to the city and wanting to get on my feet.  But now I see he does it to EVERYONE. DO NOT WORK FOR THIS MAN. IN FACT, I HAVE SINCE LEFT THE CITY, BUT IF I WAS STILL THERE I WOULD BE PLOTTING TO TRAP HIM AND CATCH HIM IN HIS ACT. HE IS A MENACE TO SOCIETY AND GOOD PEOPLE AS WHOLE. CRIMINAL. CRUDE, LUDE, DISGUSTING. WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING.