Complaint Review: Universal Gas And Electric - Saginaw Michigan

My husband was employed by Universal Gas & Electric in August as a Field Agent with the promise of "manager making six-figures within 6 months". It is now December and he still hasn't collected a paycheck. He was given advances totalling $550 from August until November. He had signed numerous deals, roughly 100, meaning they should be paying him roughly $2500. Far cry from the $550 he has received. Oh, and he was "promoted" to "manager" and never seen any benefits from that before being told later that they would be "restructuring" and that he would have to wait for his "promotion". Big promises, no truth.

Then on 11/24/07, he was in the Saginaw office waiting for a meeting with the owner, who was running late, when the Saginaw Manager who will remain nameless at this point, sent him out to a subdivison to do some "door-knocking". All of a sudden, the cops showed up, guns drawn, ordering him to the ground. They put him in handcuffs and hauled his butt down to the station. He was told that there was a "No Solicitation" ordinance for that area. He explained that he didn't know that because he normally doesn't work that area and that his boss told him to go there.

The Saginaw Manager who will remain nameless at this point was called to the station and he promptly showed up; explaining to the officers that it was not my husband's fault and that the manager himself had sent him out there and that the Saginaw Manager had "forgot" (give me a break, Mr. Manager) that there was a no solicitation ordinance in that area. He also promised, in front of the officers, that Universal would be paying the ticket.

Then, the Flint Manager who will remain nameless at this point threatened to fire him if he didn't show up at a hotel in Flint at 9:00pm the following Monday night. Being that he has received mere pennies from them and had to use his "advance" to catch up on his rent, my husband didn't have the gas money to get there and still have gas left to go out and actually work. And he told them so, and was told that it wasn't their problem. So, termination (or whatever they call it) was assumed. And now refuse to pay the ticket because they say he quit and left them in a bad spot. Even if he did quit of his own acord, Universal should have paid this ticket for him since their star manager in Saginaw "forgot" that the area that he works around every day has a no solicitation ordinance and sent him out there.

How awful is this that they can't back up their employees? There are employees (reportedly) that have been there a few months longer than my husband that still haven't received a paycheck from these liars.

I have made repeated phone calls to the Saginaw Manager who will remain nameless at this point to ask him to return my call so that I may talk to him about all of this and see if we can't work something, but, big surprise, he will not return my calls.

I have, however, called the Southfield office and made a verbal complaint and was promised that the Compliance Department would get back in touch with me. Also, I have contacted a lawyer for more than just the cost of the ticket. Someone needs to teach these liars a lesson.

Oh, and the solicitation ticket. Not just a civil ticket. It's considered a misdemeanor which means that it will go on my husband's record. But what does Universal Gas & Electric care? They got all of this free work out of this poor sucker who believed in this big dream and fed into all of their lies.

Shame on Universal Gas & Electric. Please, please, please beware of the silver tongued promises that they dish out but never deliver.

Carol

Dryden, Michigan

U.S.A.