company will not pay for work done

[dubbodown]

hi anandtech'er...

i am posting this for my gf.....she is loooking for some advice/help on what to do with her employer. this is the situation....

-she work in a day spa salon (hair, nails, massages, etc.)
-she work on commission + tips
-a party of 10 ladies came in to get their hair, nails, massages done
-the party paid the salon for the service + tips for each employees ($2000 + $800 tips)
-boss said it was a sponsored company event, so boss only pay employees for the tips they got ($100/each)
-none of the employees was told they were working for free and only get to keep the tips, so if they did not receive any tips, they all would have received NOTHING!!!

WHAT CAN THE EMPLOYEES DO??

Any help would greatly be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[ColdFusion718]

The employees should collectively get a lawyer and go after the owner. It sounds like this owner is taking advantage of the women.

 

[erub]

whats her usual pay? half of the bill?

 

[compuwiz1]

Contact your local labor board, would be a place to start, if this cannot be resolved. Most states have laws against firing whistle blowers, who report bad employer conduct.

 

[miri]

They can ask the owner for a share of the take?

They got 40% in tips? That is more than double the norm

 

[miri]

What it sounds like to me is that the owner and the party agreed to charge $2000 for the servicec with a $800 gratuity charge and the employees got $800 and the owner $2000 which sounds about right, I dont see a large party leaving a 40% tip unless they had to.

What I mean is that a average commission for employees in a salon is about 35-45%

It is very likely that a large party that spends $2000 will not leave a tip or leave a very small one.

So $800 sounds right

 

[DVK916]

How many hours of work was this?

 

[spidey07]

Eitherway, Boss is right. They probably got above minimum wage.

Employees can contact a labor attorney and be promptly fired.

 

[jpeyton]

Tell her to get back at them by stealing their office supplies and selling it on the black market.

 

[Thorny]

Originally posted by: miri
What it sounds like to me is that the owner and the party agreed to charge $2000 for the servicec with a $800 gratuity charge and the employees got $800 and the owner $2000 which sounds about right, I dont see a large party leaving a 40% tip unless they had to.

What I mean is that a average commission for employees in a salon is about 35-45%

It is very likely that a large party that spends $2000 will not leave a tip or leave a very small one.

So $800 sounds right

If that's the case it should've been disclosed to the employees beforehand to eliminate this kind of confusion. As a matter of principal I would probably take action about it if it were done to me. Employers that screw over thier own employees to make a dime are scum.

 

[DrPizza]

How much time was spent doing this? What's their normal rate of pay?

 

[chusteczka]

Originally posted by: dubbodown
-she work on commission + tips

It appears to depend on how this salon defines "commission".
Commission is typically used as a motivational tool for salesmen. I do not see how this concept applies to a salon worker; hair stylist, manicurist, masseuse, ... .

 

[bctbct]

I dont think there is going to be a happy ending.

 

[KarenMarie]

Tell your girlfriend to get business cards made with her name and cell phone number on them. She needs to find a new job and while she is looking, remain where she is, but give her card tp as many ppl as she can... let them follow her.

 

[AreaCode707]

Sounds like lawyer is really going to be your only option. Perhaps making it known to the boss that your gf is pursuing legal options might jolt him out of his complacency, but only maybe.

 

[dubbodown]

 

[SmoochyTX]

Originally posted by: spidey07
Eitherway, Boss is right. They probably got above minimum wage.

Employees can contact a labor attorney and be promptly fired.

 

[kstu]

Originally posted by: bctbct
I dont think there is going to be a happy ending.

:laugh:

 

[KK]

Originally posted by: dubbodown

my thoughts too.

 

[TuxDave]

How much is the typical tip for a $2K job?
How much would they have been paid for a $2K job + the tip from the above question?
Which one is greater and by how much?

 

[dubbodown]

-everone in the salon makes 40-70% in commission based on experience + tips
-the hours of work was about 5 hours, all the girls had to work from 5pm-10pm (this is longer hours than normal, usually till 8pm the salon close)
-40% tip is not unusal in the salon business. usually tips are 30% on avg (these ladies love to be pampered and some are very generous).
-these girls are getting screwed by their boss (i have met the lady myself.....and did not like her from the begining)
-there are new employees in the salon every 3 months because no one can stand her management and ego trip
-anyways...i know the girls are getting screwed.....so I am just trying to look for advice to help them out.

ANY ADVICE/HELP IS GREATLY APPRECIATED!
THANKS

 

[SmoochyTX]

Open your own salon.

 

[dubbodown]

btw......this is an upscale salon in a neighborhood with an annual avg salary of 100K +.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

How much of the tip are they claiming on taxes? If a lot of these are cash and not claimed as income, then she may not be able to show any drop in tips.

 

[DVK916]

Originally posted by: dubbodown
-everone in the salon makes 40-70% in commission based on experience + tips
-the hours of work was about 5 hours, all the girls had to work from 5pm-10pm (this is longer hours than normal, usually till 8pm the salon close)
-40% tip is not unusal in the salon business. usually tips are 30% on avg (these ladies love to be pampered and some are very generous).
-these girls are getting screwed by their boss (i have met the lady myself.....and did not like her from the begining)
-there are new employees in the salon every 3 months because no one can stand her management and ego trip
-anyways...i know the girls are getting screwed.....so I am just trying to look for advice to help them out.

ANY ADVICE/HELP IS GREATLY APPRECIATED!
THANKS

Is your GF reporting 100% of her tips on her taxes. If not she is guilty of fraud.