Douglas
Gibsonia,#2Consumer Comment
Mon, June 20, 2005
i happily own a major pizza delivery place. 1) food swapping with out consent can be concidered theft. it's like if a younger sibling traded your nintendo games for cash, you might make him responsible and he owes you cash values of what he traded. if your punishment was to work and repay the food you swapped, that is somewhat resonable if you accounted the hours you worked and how much food you swapped (owed). However there should be some documentation of such. 2) remember that labor laws change dependant on what day it is and if you have school the next day. if you had to stay late on "spring break" then the law may have allowed it. ( i don't know about MD, i live in Pennslyvania) 3) as an employee, it is ALSO your job to make sure the proper foodhandling techniques are being used. tell your manager tell the owner tell another food business owner tell the health dept Do something other than tell people on a message board. people can become REALLY sick and it is important that someone does the right thing and gets the problem solved! i would hate if some meat at my pizza shop was left out and no one said anything to me! it IS illegal to keep your last check with out having documents stating why. Demand these documents or complain to the headquarters of the company via registered mail. Compain about the owner never being there also and about running out of product, etc. good luck.
Douglas
Gibsonia,#3Consumer Comment
Mon, June 20, 2005
i happily own a major pizza delivery place. 1) food swapping with out consent can be concidered theft. it's like if a younger sibling traded your nintendo games for cash, you might make him responsible and he owes you cash values of what he traded. if your punishment was to work and repay the food you swapped, that is somewhat resonable if you accounted the hours you worked and how much food you swapped (owed). However there should be some documentation of such. 2) remember that labor laws change dependant on what day it is and if you have school the next day. if you had to stay late on "spring break" then the law may have allowed it. ( i don't know about MD, i live in Pennslyvania) 3) as an employee, it is ALSO your job to make sure the proper foodhandling techniques are being used. tell your manager tell the owner tell another food business owner tell the health dept Do something other than tell people on a message board. people can become REALLY sick and it is important that someone does the right thing and gets the problem solved! i would hate if some meat at my pizza shop was left out and no one said anything to me! it IS illegal to keep your last check with out having documents stating why. Demand these documents or complain to the headquarters of the company via registered mail. Compain about the owner never being there also and about running out of product, etc. good luck.
Michael
Baltimore,#4Consumer Comment
Sun, May 22, 2005
Lauren, You seem to be in a bind here, but it is quite simple. You more or less answered most of your questions, but 'what to do?' With regards to his withholding your check, this may be relative to the food-swapping. I am not sure as to what food-swapping is (I worked in fast-foods many years ago, but never engaged in practices as such) but this may be the owner's 'fee'. You also mentioned that they had you working for free one weekend. In Maryland, this is a no-no, especially if you're only 15! Further, unless the laws have changed in recent years, 15 year olds cannot work night hours until 10PM. If you werre 16, OK, but no less. You also mentioned several potential health code violations -- hmmm. As for your mom's comments getting you fired, you were working on a work permit. So this is possible. All said, you have several complaints. First, copy & paste the original complaint you made here to a word document and send print several copies. Send one to the Maryland Labor Board in Annapolis, I am sure they will want to see that a fifteen year old was left alone to work with meat slicers, large ovens, and the public with other 15 year olds (and maybe younger). Send another copy to the Maryland Department of Health & Hygiene. They have offices in Annapolis and Baltimore. Lastly, send a copy to Mr. William Donald Schaffer, the state comptroller. If this guy (the owner) is bedazzling his employees with disappearing checks, he is probably juggling his books regarding taxes he pays. Good luck in your fight with this Lauren, GO GET EM'!