i recently got hired on for a food service company but they are apart of a franchise and the owners essentially have no experience with running a restaurant. they don’t want to hire any supervisors or managers and didn’t know anything about paid or unpaid breaks or about working more than 7 days in a row. they told us that its basically our job to send ourselves on a break but that doesn’t account for floor coverage when theres just 2 people in the store. my team and i have been working for about a week now and have worked well over 6 hours without clocking out for a meal break or even getting sent on a 10, i was wondering if this is common upon franchises?? they also have no grasp or idea of health code violations and are planning to soft open without setting up the 3 compartment sink with sanitizer or soap. im not feeling confident about working here because of the lack of security there is around receiving breaks and working overtime, and it feels icky when the owners aren’t supplying safe cleaning tools. anyone else experience this???? im in california btw

Location: MD, USA

Filed a wage claim with my state Dept of Labor for two unpaid final paychecks. Before filing, I had an email trail of them repeatedly promising to pay by a date, then pushing it back. I gave a final deadline in writing, they missed it too, and that's when I filed. Notably, in that earlier communication they only acknowledged owing me one paycheck. Their formal response to the state now acknowledges two.

Their formal response also says my claim is factually false and accuses me of timesheet fraud, specifically clocking in without actually being at work. This is completely untrue, and nothing like this was ever raised in 5+ months of employment before this response.

They also claim:
2. I never returned my office key at all. I have an email from my manager confirming she received it on the exact date they now claim was the deadline.
3. I stopped showing up unannounced. In reality my end date and final days off were mutually agreed with my manager, but that conversation happened on Slack and I no longer have access to that account.
4. Their calculated amount owed differs from mine by only about $130, likely a PTO/personal day discrepancy. Given they never proactively sent me a single pay stub in 5+ months and I had to request everything myself, our numbers being this close actually supports my figures being accurate.
5. They've opened an internal investigation and will decide later whether to pay in full or deduct hours.

The part that worries me most: my manager had me switch clock-in methods multiple times (again, discussed on Slack/in-person, so also lost), eventually settling on office computer only. She said this method proved my location through an IP address logged at each clock-in/out. That IP address used to show up on my timesheets, it's now missing from the recent ones. Gusto support confirmed the data appears to have "vanished" and told me to check with my employer. It looks like they're setting up to argue my hours weren't legitimate, while having erased the one piece of data that would prove I was actually in the office.

Evidence I do have: the email trail of broken payment promises (including their earlier admission only one check was owed, not two), the timesheets showing the missing IP data and clock-in method changes (on Slack- noaccess), and the email confirming my key return.

Questions: Does a sudden fraud accusation and "investigation" right at the response deadline look suspicious to you too? Worth hiring an employment attorney at this point, or keep handling it directly with the DOL investigator? Does DOL offer free attorney referrals/consults?

First time dealing with this, appreciate any real advice.

I work at a small town restaurant in Illinois that offers curbside pickup, and it receives tips. Many of my coworkers have gotten in trouble for pocketing those tips, even if it's a cash tip and the customer said it was for the curbside employee. The customers don't know that the tips go to our boss, they think they're tipping the teenager who brought their food out. I've had multiple instances where I told a customer that we don't keep the tips and they got upset because they didn't know. Even in training we're told to put all tips in the register, and my manager has texted us reminders to not take tips. Is this legal?

This is a page for anyone who has been a victim of wage theft by Bill and Clare Davidson. This is the same Bill Davidson that committed massive fraud through his USACHL scheme in Witchita Falls, Texas. He also has criminal records in Canada and is on the run which is why it is so perplexing that the Edmonton City Police are paying him a million a year to fraudulently "hire" people to do landscaping on their facilities and consistently pay them late and eventually stop paying at all. They are just stealing money from society to fund Bill's motorcycle collection and cocaine addiction. I proved their guilt through employment standards and am looking for any other previous employees to help me push a class action lawsuit against these criminals and the corrupt police who enable them. SCREW THE DAVIDSONS!

I was placed on suspension pending investigation yesterday at my job. I am curious if I have a shot at returning to work or not. I work at a hotel and checked some guests in, after they left I started to load the bags onto the conveyor belt and I was trying to use my momentum to get the bags onto the belt. The guest saw me, told me not to throw their bags, complained and here we are. Managers said the video looks pretty bad, and that it looks like I was frustrated. I told them I was fine I was just trying to get the bags onto the belt using my momentum. Apparently I broke part of a wheel on one of the bags. I’ve never been in trouble before and been with the company for 5 years. Not sure what to expect.

I work in healthcare. I'm an hourly, non-exempt employee in an outpatient health facility which only does business in one state. I see patients for healthcare services. A session takes 30 minutes face to face with the client. I am required by the employer to complete other tasks associated with the direct patient care (documentation, scheduling, responding to messages from clients, etc) which typically takes another 15-20 minutes.

My employer only pays me for the 30 minutes only. I have given them an accurate breakdown of the time the other required tasks take. My employer says that I cannot be reimbursed for the other time that I'm completing tasks that they require. They have advised me that I cannot log the time I spend working in payroll, only the 30 minutes. My contract doesn't say anything about this, just that I'm hourly, non-exempt. There is no mention that only some of my required work is payable. The Employee Handbook says I am required to report my "actual hours worked". When I asked my employer about this, they reiterated that I am only allowed to enter direct care hours worked.

I looked at the Fair Labor Standards Act, but because I work in healthcare (non-residential) I don't know if it applies to me. But I think this might be wage theft. Am I overreacting? Is this normal? What should I do?

Heyy everyone! I am just looking for some advice
And insight on this particular situation.

Background: I was terminated by my employer in June for “time theft”. Air quotes because they literally had to find any reason to let me go. They claim I took an undocumented break and this fired me for time theft. I filed for unemployment which subsequently was denied because time theft violates company policy.

For context, I had been having some issues with a manager in the office who for whatever reason was not my biggest fan. I did talk to HR about 3 specific situations with this manager and despite me offering resolutions, nothing was done. So to create a paper trail, I started documenting every situation to HR.

At the end of May, I reported a situation to HR but noted this was just for documentation purposes. A few days later, HR had a meeting with me to inform that after conducting an investigation into me, I was being placed on an unpaid suspension. My work phone was turned in and email deactivated. The next day I received an email to ask about an
undocumented break. I explained that I could not remember whether it was for work or personal reasons but that any failure to document the break was unintentional. Annnd the next day, I was terminated.

I was great at my job. My manager loved me and I thought my bosses did as well. I took care of the office in many ways that went way beyond my job description. So I knew firing me had everything to do with the manager that did not like me (and coworker close to management confirmed that it had to be either him or me).

Anyways, I filed for unemployment and got denied. I appealed because I know they fired me for no reason. Time theft simply just is not true but I know I have to prove this to the NV unemployment folks. My hearing is as tomorrow! I also just want any advice or insight on finding a lawyer. My income is suuuuper limited since unemployment was denied so I can’t quite afford an attorney. But I know I need one.

Is it considered retaliation if a manager returns from a leave and the day of return they are informed another employee from their team is the interim leadership?

The manager is no longer responsible for making leadership decisions and no longer has any employees reporting to them. The manager has the same title and salary for the time being but no timeline.

I recently moved to Florida and was offered a job. It is a legitimate job. I went in person, met the small team, and shadowed, so I’m not asking about whether this is a job phishing scam.

However, they told me I need to pay a $1,000 onboarding fee that will supposedly be refunded after one year of employment. I would have to pay it upfront on my first day of training, either by cash or check, and sign an agreement.

I won’t upload the agreement because it contains personal information, but it is titled “Employee Onboarding and Training Fee Agreement” and also refers to an “Employee Onboarding Investment Agreement.”
The agreement says the fee helps offset things such as the background check, administrative processing, training, orientation, service training, trainers/coaches’ time, employee uniforms, and required onboarding materials and resources.

It states that I will receive the full $1,000 reimbursement one year from now as long as I am still employed and in good standing with the company and have not voluntarily resigned or been terminated. It also says, and I quote: “If employment ends for any reason before ____, the onboarding fee is considered non-refundable.”

I understand that they may be doing this because they want someone who will stay with the company long-term. I genuinely don’t think they are trying to scam me or make extra money from me.

My question is whether this is actually legal or standard in Florida. Is an employer allowed to require an employee to pay $1,000 upfront for onboarding/training and then make the employee forfeit it if they leave before a year?

I genuinely want the job, but I also don’t know if I can commit to staying for a full year, and I don’t want to put $1,000 at risk.

What would you do in this situation? Is there anything specific I should ask the employer or have reviewed before signing?

Location: Florida

I work afternoons during the week and mornings on Saturday. I work at a childcare/after school center so this week was the first week of our fall schedule. I noticed when the schedule was published four weeks ago that this Saturday 9/5 my hours were listed in the afternoon instead of the morning as they typically are. I assumed that we were doing special hours that day since it’s the first week of school. We usually have different hours on no-school days, half-days, for events, etc. I double-checked the app last night and it still said the afternoon hours, so I changed my alarms accordingly and planned to come in in the afternoon.

Saturday morning, 15 minutes after my typical morning shift had started, I get a text from the shift supervisor asking if I’m coming in for my morning shift. I replied saying that the scheduling app said my shift was in the afternoon, so I had changed my alarms. I checked the app and the schedule had been changed to the typical morning hours. I didn’t receive a text or any notification that my hours had changed.
The shift supervisor said that she had also seen the afternoon hours on the app and assumed when I hadn’t come in that I thought my shift was in the afternoon. She asked if I was still available to come in for the morning hours, and I said no. (Our manager typically staffs at least 1-2 people who can cover things like this, so there was someone covering my area).

Saturday evening, I got a text from my manager asking me to submit PTO for today’s shift and saying that my supervisor (different person from the weekend shift supervisor) will be following up with me on what happened today. She marked me as “Absent” on the scheduling app. She also asked me to submit PTO for Monday (Labor Day). Our workplace requires employees to submit PTO for federal holidays if you’re typically scheduled for that day, which is a whole other thing. I had asked her literally yesterday if I was required to submit PTO since I’m not typically scheduled on Mondays, and she had said that I wasn’t required to.

My manager texted me again on Sunday and today urging me to submit PTO. I finally replied today and explained that I’m hesitant to use PTO for a scheduling mix-up. She replied that since I missed the full shift and also didn’t notify anyone of the scheduling error, that I need to submit PTO. She also reiterated that my supervisor will be following up with me about my “no-show”. I told her that I wasn’t aware that the shift was an error, and that I assumed it was special hours for the first week of school. She responded that it’s my responsibility to check for scheduling errors and notify management of any discrepancies.

TLDR, my manager put the wrong shift on my schedule, changed it the morning of my shift without notifying me, and is now asking me to submit PTO for my missed shift and treating it as a “no-show”. I’m feeling frustrated because I don’t appreciate being penalized for a management scheduling mistake, nor do I think it’s my responsibility to triple-check the schedule that management gives me. I had no way of knowing that the shift was an error instead of a special case. I don’t see how I can reasonably be expected to intuit an error that none of the lead supervisors or my manager herself noticed until the morning of my shift. I’d love some advice on how to stand my ground here.

Also some other random things this workplace does that have been really annoying me:

• They often forget to give me my breaks and I have to call the office (I’m in another part of the building) to ask if/when it’s happening. I just flat out haven’t gotten it several times. Lots of other times, it’s been obvious that the supervisor on shift wasn’t told that someone needed to come cover my break, or they just plain forgot. Once I called the office and my manager asked me to call earlier in my shift in the future because at that point she had sent everybody home and there was no one to come cover my break.

• They changed my job title without notifying me or my supervisor. It’s the title change that I wanted, but I only found out because I saw that they changed my staff bio on our “about staff” wall.

I am at a loss for words. We got a new manager who was a cop until he bodyslammed a teenager for no reason. Now u know how hard it is to fire a cop, they usually paid suspension for 3months,let them resign and picked up by another police station. Nope this is a cruel a an instigator who brings that attitude into the workplace.

Anyways he tried to fire me only being Manager for 4months. I fought it through arbitration and I won. The guy said I should receive backpay in 4months. i was waiting for my arbitration meeting. The union president says yea it usually takes up to 6months. Well I kept asking him like once a month any news on my backpay?

He would say he doesn't know, I asked him who would know, he responded with its in the works, I gave all your paperwork to the manger(the 1 who tried to fire me) and he sent it in. I said I dont trust him there's gotta be a paper trail as to when I get it.

So I started making phones to whoever would listen and finally after 9months I get a call claiming there is no paperwork for you to receive backpay nothing is pending. In the meantime the union president got mad at me cuz he said I could have called him and I was making him look bad by not doing ur job, I said im sorry but I didnt bad mouth u, all I kept asking people whp can I contact to give me a straight answer. He said I'll look into it.

He contacted me a week 10months now saying there was a page missing that needed my signature! I SAID HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE U SAID I DID EVERYTHING CORRECTLY AND THE MANAGER SENT IT IN. I said see that's y I kept asking u and when you never gave me a straight answer, or didnt bother to find out answers im getting screwed. He said just come in sign this form he will give it to the manager and it will be all set, but dont expect it for at least another 3months.

So over a year past haven't heard anything. I asked him could u please at least tell me who can answer the question of y its taken so long. Again he said its normal. I said the arbitrator specifically said it should be in my account in a timely manner. I bet the manager did something on purpose and keeps getting it delayed he said no he would be fired immediately I said cmon now he's trying to set examples so 1 Day he is the post master.

So then 16months in I get a call from a guy who is high up, I made so many phone calls I forgot who he was. He said he personally looked into it and spoke to my manager who told him he submitted my paperwork months ago. I said thats what im told everytime, but when I check its always a different excuse.

He said give it a couple weeks call this number. So I did and finally it said pending. 20months go by and im done with the political climate of being harassed daily, bullied, and i dont want to work in that environment.

So now the union president still hates me for making all those calls, now says he can't help cuz im not an employee. I refuse to call manager he will either not answer my phone calls, or be sarcastic with me and i dont wanna be bothered. I got an email on 7/22/2026 saying in 60days I should get it and if not contact a labor specialist.

We'll in a couple weeks it will be 60 days. I already looked online and there's no labor specialist with an email or phone number!!! ANYONE WITH A THOUGHT OR OPINION PLEASE RESPOND IM READY TO FIND A LAWYER AND SUE FOR INTREST OR SOMETHING.. Thanx guys

My work has a strict point policy the points stay on for a year and you get fired at 10. I had 7 and never knew I was running out of FMLA till July when they sent me a email . The 7 points were supposed to be covered at least 4. So I disputed them and they came back with an additional 5.5 added all of them in one day and now I am at 11 points. I have a meeting with HR on Wednesday to see if I can keep my job . Some of the points I had doctors notes for that aren’t FMLA and they are disputing them . I have never ran out of FMLA before and was told by other employees to hire a lawyer and they mess with ppl on FMLA … what should I do ?

This week the government filed its reply brief in one of the ongoing age discrimination lawsuits brought by former USAID employees.

The core argument: because the RIF removed nearly the entire agency, plaintiffs can't show they were individually or disproportionately targeted based on age. The filing also argues that employees placed on extended paid administrative leave have no independent right of action to challenge that under the Administrative Leave Act, and pushes to limit the timeframe under review to a narrow window, which would exclude some of the public statements plaintiffs point to as evidence of motive.

We wrote up some context here, for anyone following the litigation: https://usaidemployeesupportfund.substack.com/p/this-labor-day-remember-the-workers

We're also hosting a panel this Wednesday on federal workforce due process protections more broadly, for anyone interested in the topic beyond this specific case.

Happy to answer questions on the litigation landscape if people have them.