For some context:
I started working at a corporate owned fine dining restaurant in late September in Ontario, Canada. I got the job as a prep cook through my friend who is very close with the Head Chef, who is basically the manager as well. I’ve only worked for 4 weeks and I haven’t been scheduled in the past 3 weeks as it hasn’t been busy at the restaurant.
We use a system that allows us to clock in and out, check schedules, request time off, etc. Every other night the Chef would tell me that he would add me to the system later in the evening, yet he wouldn’t. He kept saying he would but he only ended up doing it at the end of my third week there. In the meantime he’s told me to send him my hours at the end of each week and informed me what days and hours I’d be working both personally and over texts.
My first paycheque from them was last month but I barely got anything compared to the amount of hours I put it in. I was confused, but I let it slide as I assumed I’d get the rest on November 7th (Next pay period, also was on this past Monday). Monday rolls around, and I get absolutely NOTHING. I asked my friend to mention to him about it next time he went to work.
I worked at total of 113 hours and only been paid for 22.
Later that night my friend tells me that the Chef said that “I wasn’t supposed to text him my hours and that I had been sent an email on how to sign in and out.” I have not received anything, and how am I supposed to sign in if I wasn’t even added to the system for so long? There is no way that he hasn’t seen my texts as he’s responded to other messages I have sent him.
I even have a total of 42 approved hours according to the system yet I’ve only been paid for half of that?
I’ve sent the Chef an email and a text regarding the issue, including a total amount of hours that I worked and my single paystub. He hasn’t replied to either. My friend tells me that the Chef got my email and he’ll “try” to get me paid next pay period (November 22). Still no reply directly from the Chef.
I’ve spoken to my parents about this and my mother tells me to text him one more time to ask for an update. My dad wants me to text him and ask him why he has been ignoring my messages and emails, and to demand that I get written email confirmation that I will get paid next pay period. And threaten that if I still don’t get paid what I’m owed, then I will call the Labour Board on him. I’m unsure on which parent to listen to.
I just don’t understand why he hasn’t made an effort to reach out to me directly and why I have to rely on a middleman for an issue this serious. I don’t want to call him and I don’t want to go in and speak to him face to face. If I do I already know my emotions will take over and the issue may escalate. I would very much rather communicate this over email and text.
If you read this far, thank you. I need advice on how I should approach this, based off what my parents have said. I do not want to get a lawyer as it would cost too much time and money.