Location: California
TLDR: Wasn’t paid for my 12 hours of work working in carpentry. Worked 2 days under the table (they took my social security number so i should be on their record somewhere + text message proof they said they will pay me; got paid for the first day but still owed for day 2 (12 hours/$245). It’s been 2 1/2 months now. What can I do??
Earlier in april my friend offered me a gig working carpentry for a family business. I took it. It was a 3 hour total commute to the site and back home. Got paid for the first day and did the math. Roughly $17.89 an hour. Did more math and found out that not only does it take a 1/3 of my pay of each day to pay for my gas to get there/back, every day I do drive out there and back I lose half a tank of gas(It costs me roughly $130 to fill up a full tank).
Came to the conclusion that I don’t want to work 9-12 hours if I can’t even afford to get to work. So I worked one more day to ensure I do as much as I can for them as a thanks for the opportunity then told my boss later that I need to quit.
Boss told me on day 1 to use the toll roads and he will happily pay for it; cool. I use the toll road to get to the job quicker. I get the bill the next month; about $30. I tell HR that the boss said he’d pay for this. Sent pictures of the bill and the location I got the bill at as proof. Boss even took a picture of my license plate to send to HR to take care of it. I ask HR about it; “he never told me anything about that” i say, “didn’t he send you a picture of my license plate?” HR goes “no, you should’ve told me about it”. What the fuck? Okay then, well here’s my bill anyways. HR tells me over text “okay we’ll make sure that gets paid” Deadline comes, still not paid off. I pay it myself bc the alternative is a fucking warrant for my arrest/ drivers license gets taken. I update HR on it. Then she slowly starts ghosting me.
Pay roll was on day one and day 2 rolled over into the next 2 weeks (bi weekly pay) so I waited for the zelle and it never came. Boss told me to talk to “HR” for anything payment related. HR told me she tried to zelle me and it didn’t let her? (But it worked the first time?) I continue to poke the bear maybe a few times a week, maybe once a week maybe a few times a month but i stay on it. And now HR is starting to ghost me. I just texted her again and now i’m starting to text the bossman for the first time today because im getting fed up with HR. Still waiting on a response from both.
What can I do?? I’m pissed I worked 12 hours for free and I’m also pissed a family business can’t honor their nephews good friend who agreed to HELP THEM.
(And also $245 doesn’t seem like a lot looking at the fact that the business has been running for years right?)
Bosses words: “Oh thank you anon, we probably wouldn’t have finished the project if it wasn’t for you being here” Yeah no problem sir, where’s my fucking money?
PLUS If Id have stayed, I would have to carpool their employee to the job site everyday cause he doesn’t have a fucking car. But I’m nice and I said that’s fine and I don’t mind.
I really wasn’t sure where to post this so hope this is okay here. Also sorry if I explain this as a jumbled mess I’m trying to remember everything that went down.
Thank you if you read this far.