I turned a compliant to DWD (Wisconsin’s labor law) and was accepted. Today I got my previous employers rebuttal and they cited because I signed a hand book I agreed to the policy of if I quit with out two weeks notice my last check will be reduced to minimum wage even though I worked those hours at my original agreed upon wage of 15 an hour. They did not send the copy of that specific policy only just saying that they have that policy and the front page of the hand book, the hand book also states on the front that signing it is not a binding contract between employer and employee. Beyond the original issue as well they sent information to about other deductions I originally did not notice such as saying I lost 100 dollars from my drawer and they deducted that as well with out proper notification and goes against wis 103.455 I’m pretty sure and also that a wage advance my employer gave me back in may as I was struggling with no terms or contract has been being deducted out of each paycheck. The wage advance deduction I should have noticed earlier but I wasn’t working my overtime and just assumed that’s why my checks where extremely low for the last 3 months of my employment. With the 200 deducted for the wage advance and 100 dollars for the alleged lost money from my till along with changing my pay rate from $15 to $7.25 an hour I was only paid 180.79 cents for 79.87 hours of work which puts that check well below the federal minimum wage.
Apologies for the long post but should I rebuttal with the fact that not only was my pay retroactively changed for hours worked but that deductions outside of federally required were made with out written consent that caused my last check to be below federal minimum wage as well? Or am I just reaching cause I feel like my previous employer wouldn’t be this bold if this was actually illegal and against labor laws. Again I’m in Wisconsin as I know that changes some laws.
Also should I contact a attorney if this is all illegal to sue them to make sure I am paid out damages and owed wages from all this?