My daughter is a W2 employee of a local business that offers horseback rides to tourists. This is in NC, USA. She has worked there over a year. She is a great employee and hard worker; her boss even stopped by the house to tell us how much he loved our daughter and what a hard worker she is. They pay her per ride, not by the hour, even though she is required to stay on site and fulfill tasks, like clean the barn, cook meals, etc etc. (They provide meals to the staff because the pay is ridiculously low, especially considering what they charge).
Recently, the owner of the operation sold a bunch of their horses, and they now require that all the employees supply their own horses. My daughter is a real go with flow girl, so she was happy that her horse was able to be ridden more often (even though she paid for the maintenance cost of the vet). However, six days a week full time on the trails has really put a stress on her horse. She asked her boss about letting her horse rest, and her boss told her to lose some weight. This was the final straw… she quit.
From what I have read… W2 employees should be paid hourly, not per gig. Also, they should not supply their own materials for work.
Another thing I 'love' about this boss… they supplied meals to their employees, however, they often get food from the local food bank for employee meals. Also.. I am sure he claims that he pays for all medical expenses of the horses, while really all the employees are.
Where do I go from here? I was already angry that she was expected to stay at work, while unpaid, especially considering we live right down the road (2 miles). This has just infuriated me.
Thanks!