Worked at a pawnshop franchise that got away with quite a bit because no one would say anything and it just became status quo. No OT for hours after 40 hours, skipping lunch breaks. Not paying for hours worked on holidays etc.
Started when I was 19, didn't know any better and just worked my ass off. Franchise owner moved me to manage his flagship store at 25.
Before I took on this role I read some books on management and also looked at employee/employees rights. I wanted to make sure I didn't get the store fined at labor board for not providing something mandatory that was missed.
Store policy for lunchbreaks was half hour paid but you can't leave store in case we need you. This was legal but people would scarf their lunch and be back in less than half hour. I encouraged everyone to cut that shit out and take their break if I needed them I would call. It was never an issue and never abused. FYI dealing with pawn customers suck and this location was 90% servicing wealthy people. Over 5 million in gold in the safe. So one break on a 9 hour shift was the least this place could do.
Owner comes to me one day says he notices people are eating and then sitting on their phones taking the whole half hour. I explain that I encourage it and they deserve it.
O:What if customers have to wait?
Me:They are 15 sec away from break room and I will call if needed.
O:Maybe we should just shut down for half hour a day and everyone gets unpaid lunch break then.
Me: Ok, we're you thinking 12:00 – 12:30 or till 1?
Owner drops an audible humph and walks away.
I knew he wasn't going to shut his doors and lose out on all those customers on their own breaks going to the only other competitors. No way in hell, frozen or not, was this man going to hire more to cover breaks either.
When I started doing all the duties the owner was doing. I started doing payroll as well. Owner comes to me one day says he wants to start opening up on all stat holidays. I tell him I don't think it's a good idea, it will cost too much to run for what we take in. We wouldn't get many new loans (businesses in area would be closed and retail traffic was virtually non existent with internet shopping). He still wanted to do it.
Show up on canada day to envelopes left with cheques in our name for half a days pay.
I call owner.
Me: please tell me this isn't our pay for today.
O: Yes. Law is time and half for stat pay. So you get paid for stat on regular payday and today you get the half.
Me: that's not how that works. I get both, you have to pay me to sit on my ass at home for the stat. You want me to come in for half my usual rate on a holiday? Not happening
O:Guess you should know the laws better before calling me because it's time and half.
Me already emailing him the highlighted document showing him stat pay is “an average days pay + time and 1/2 for all hours worked”
Me: I'm already ripping up these cheques and going to write new ones for the day. I have already explained to the staff how you have ripped them off in the past and you should plan to deal with that before they do.
O:silence
Me: do you want me to cancel the next holiday shift?
O: yes,click
When I got smart and finally moved on to a role I was worth. He cried talking about how he had plans to make me a partner first I had heard of this. I think he was just upset that he would actually have to work again.