NBR: Work Vent - blowing the whistle

blue_elle

I work for a small company whose HR/payroll is handled by a large outside firm. They aren't very legally minded and, quite frankly, are an HR nightmare, but no one is there to tell them no. Ex: one owner has commented in front of employees he wouldn't hire certain applicants because of their age, they used to have people in one group work through lunch w/o pay (I stopped this immediately on becoming the department lead), they tried to dock people a quarter hour if they clocked in a couple minutes late (thankfully the payroll company found out and stopped them). The list goes on. 

I noticed yesterday that my timesheet clock-out on a particular day had been changed. I was there late because I had to wait on another department so I could lock up, and now it show I clocked out early. I asked my supervisor and he said he had changed it to fix a rounding issue. Yeah, not buying it. I don't know how frequently this has happened, so I'm going to start keeping better track on my clock times. In the meantime I just said ok, and hey, by the way, I'm going to leave early of Friday for the extra time worked if you don't need me.

I later asked him via email (he's out of town and I'm his stand-in of sorts) if he wanted the other folks who where there late (different dept. under his charge) to take OT or rotate leaving early the rest of the week like we do in our group. He emailed back to say that dept. gets breaks, so they wouldn't be paid for being there late. I responded back and tried to lightly mention that I didn't want to be debbie-downer, but that I think they probably have to be paid for breaks when they're given. Not an easy thing to say to your boss and make sound airy!

I spoke with a confidant in the other department and am horrified to find out that this is an ongoing thing that they are expected to stay late at times and never get paid for it, always with the same break excuse. It's absolutely 100% illegal. None of them will speak up because they fear losing their jobs (at-will state). He also apparently called after I emailed to get onto the lead in that area because she knows how this works. Poor girl didn't even know I had emailed. I hope my email gets him thinking, and not just ticked at us, but I'm a little concerned that I've become the whistle-blower of sorts for these issues. These things have to get fixed, but on the other hand, I'm in no position to lose my job either! 

Small businesses suck sometimes!!!

 

notthecheat

So sorry! My husband works for a small company and he gets shat on all the time, like working mandatory OT but for regular pay, and other illegal time clock manipulations. I have urged him to find another job because he hates it there anyway but he must hate change more because he's on his sixth year there. Being caught in between the dirty management and illegal practices must be even worse for you. Wish I had an easy answer.

notthecheat

Which leads me to thinking, are you going to have to be the "mean" parent when this kid comes? Because I can already see that happening to myself. Its tough being the one that always has to say no.

sugarland726

Yikes! Hope you don't have a lot of repercussions for this.