Antiwork

I started a new job this past Friday. Was originally supposed to work from 10am until 4pm. Was asked by the chef to work the dinner shift, I obviously agreed.. bad mistake. 13 hours, no break offered to me! Maine laws require a 30 minute break to be offered after X amount of hours worked.

This is a throwaway. I'm a chemist living in Southern California. My last employer did not pay me, or any other staff, our August 31st paychecks. They terminated all of us September 23rd and shuttered the lab. My former colleagues and I have chased every lead we can think of. Labor Day weekend was spent emailing local government officials and I got a myriad of responses. Some helpful, some not. I have consulted with lawyers. They all say we have a case, they won't take it because of the low potential payout for them- once we get our owed money. I have complaints in with the appropriate government officials, who are moving very slow with no resolution in sight. Meanwhile, everything I've built for the last 11 years of my working life I risk losing because of this stupid system with no recourse for workers who get put in this…