I feel like I have no options. I was hoping I could just file a claim for my unpaid wages and be done with this situation, but they had to inform me because I was an assistant manager as my role they can’t do anything for me.
My ex employer didn’t pay any staff for an entire pay period. He locked us out of our accounts needed to do our job (front desk) so we all resigned immediately to avoid job abandonment, and it was a hostile environment anyway. He had never done payroll himself, as he had my manager above me always do it, and he emailed us that we were overpaid and wouldn’t be receiving a final paycheck.
I had asked for proof of overpayment, provided my own evidence against it, and cited laws that he required to pay me in full by the next pay period. He never responded to this, and now it has been 3 months.
We all never filed right away because he was already threatening us with legal action for all quitting for months (we live in an at will state). He has been known to fabricate to get what he wants and as we’re all young girls we thought it was best to let it go.
But now I want my money! It was a full pay period and I worked so hard. My state has high cost of living and it severely impacted my life. I decided to file with my department of labor for the unpaid wages. I had gone in person and then mailed it, as instructed. But they just called me to tell me because of my job title as assistant manager, they can’t file on my behalf. I asked for clarification and the rep couldn’t explain anything other than it being out of their jurisdiction for people in management positions and my only option is taking him to court. I only made 30k a year as AM, it was a front desk job but healthcare/retail I guess (think big name glasses) and I was only told it was my title that immediately disqualifies me. I don’t get why they told me to mail in my claim after telling them in person I was an AM at this business.
I don’t want to take him to court because he can afford a good legal team. He is already in multiple lawsuits for unrelated things. He has also done a lot of illegal things in the business and I sense his freak out over us all leaving was in part of that. I feel so disheartened over not getting help from anything, especially a service made for this.