Sonic workers quit

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ch33zw1z

Lifer
Nov 4, 2004
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The business owners just potentially pushed a bunch of peeps onto government assistance. Gg.

Side note: I've had Sonic twice. Once in ATL and once around my area. Both times it was awful. This was many years ago.
 

Viper1j

Diamond Member
Jul 31, 2018
4,433
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They have to be paid minimum wage, it's federal law for all workers.

If the tips are not enough, the employer has to make up the difference.
That's how tipped employees are paid.

But tips at a fast food joint is almost unheard of.


That may be slowly changing. I've had to install networks on three remodeled McDonald's. The new locations allow you to go to the counter and order, you are then given a wireless disk, about the size of a coaster. You go have a seat, and a waitress will bring your food out to you. And yes they are allowing the employees to accept tips.

But these locations are only doing this as a marketing/experimental thing. They haven't come up with a formal policy whether or not tips will be shared or exclusive. And some shift managers may not even allow the girls to get tips it all. I'm pretty sure they're not going to be doing anything to affect the salaries until those policies are set in concrete.
 

LTC8K6

Lifer
Mar 10, 2004
28,520
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There's still no confirmation of anything about this story except that some Sonics closed and some changed ownership.
 
Nov 8, 2012
20,842
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The business owners just potentially pushed a bunch of peeps onto government assistance. Gg.

Side note: I've had Sonic twice. Once in ATL and once around my area. Both times it was awful. This was many years ago.

Can't file for unemployment if you quit.
 
Nov 8, 2012
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This is part of why the MSM is being called out, right here. This fucking sentence right here - that the majority of people will nut understand and will take it as fact. Anyone educated knows that this statement is bullshit.

That is
1) Incredibly bias
2) Incredibly wrong - factually incorrect.

According to sources close to the situation, part of the dispute stems from pay cuts forced onto employees who saw wages reduced from at or near-minimum wages to a tipped employee wages at approximately $4.00/hr.
 

skull

Platinum Member
Jun 5, 2000
2,209
327
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Here's a question.
When employees have SS and Medicare tax taken out at 7.65%, it is matched by the employers.
What happens when the owner drops wages from 10/hr to 4/hr + tips?
Does he now just pay (his match 7.65%) to his employees on that 4/hr and not the 10/hr?

The following is a hypothetical just for sake of round numbers:
Lets say his overhead for wages was 10K per month. His share at 10K is $765.00 to the gov't.(for the employees)
Now drop wages from 10/hr to 4/hr and his overhead becomes 4K/month. His share is now 306/month.

1) Would a guy be so cheap as to save around 500/month by doing this? If his overhead was higher his saving would also be higher.
2) Also, look at it from an employees point, their contributions to their SS account would take a big hit by only getting
paid 4/hr vs 10/hr. Literally their 40hr/week check would be 160 vs 400/week.
3) Are waitresses/waiters/servers required to pay that 7.65% for themselves from the tips they make? If so, does the employer match?
Remember that self-employed people pay into SS at 2X 7.65%, IIRC.

Don't forget unemployment and workmans comp, together I pay over 12% on wages to my employee, add SS and I'm at 20% on top of wages.
 
Feb 4, 2009
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Can't file for unemployment if you quit.

You can, hostile work environment or the other one where you were “contracted at one rate but paid another” I forgot the name of the second one but it comes up frequently when there is a big comp change all at once.
 

brycejones

Lifer
Oct 18, 2005
29,452
29,865
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You can, hostile work environment or the other one where you were “contracted at one rate but paid another” I forgot the name of the second one but it comes up frequently when there is a big comp change all at once.

Yep, being offered a substantially lower pay rate is a valid reason to quit and file unemployment.
 
Feb 4, 2009
35,862
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Yep, being offered a substantially lower pay rate is a valid reason to quit and file unemployment.

Yeah that’s why sales organization usually give 6 months notice for large compensation changes.
I worked at one shit company in 2011, whose commission plan was arguably accessive but hey that’s what they offered.
45 days after taking the job the commission per sale was cut 70-85%. That figure was far too low. I hung in until another job appeared but I know they were hit with unemployment claims from people who quit.
Can’t figure out why someone could think any worker would be happy with a 50% PLUS pay cut and be happy about it. Especially when the only get 30 days notice of the change.
 

Mai72

Lifer
Sep 12, 2012
11,562
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I live in NJ and it's still a full serve state. I know a guy who pumps gas and makes on average about $80 a day in tips (summer), and about $10 a day in tips (winter). This is at WaWa. Kinda like 7-11, only cleaner. They even have a 401k which they match, stocks, and health care which is like $50 a week. The only thing is you're working for $10 a hour. I wouldn't want to pump gas for 40 years though.
 

MagnusTheBrewer

IN MEMORIAM
Jun 19, 2004
24,122
1,594
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I live in NJ and it's still a full serve state. I know a guy who pumps gas and makes on average about $80 a day in tips (summer), and about $10 a day in tips (winter). This is at WaWa. Kinda like 7-11, only cleaner. They even have a 401k which they match, stocks, and health care which is like $50 a week. The only thing is you're working for $10 a hour. I wouldn't want to pump gas for 40 years though.
It would beat sitting in a cubicle for forty years.
 

Mai72

Lifer
Sep 12, 2012
11,562
1,741
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It would beat sitting in a cubicle for forty years.

Who says that you have to sit in a cubicle? My dad worked for himself for 30 plus years, and had a 4th grade education. He and my mom owned multiple businesses. He was also a contractor for NJ. His options were limited and yet he still forged a path for himself. My point is you don't have to do anything if it makes you unhappy.
 

MagnusTheBrewer

IN MEMORIAM
Jun 19, 2004
24,122
1,594
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Who says that you have to sit in a cubicle? My dad worked for himself for 30 plus years, and had a 4th grade education. He and my mom owned multiple businesses. He was also a contractor for NJ. His options were limited and yet he still forged a path for himself. My point is you don't have to do anything if it makes you unhappy.
I agree. I was commenting on the outlook that you have to go to college and you have to choose a career based on the money it earns. You know, the standard atot tech perspective.
 

ondma

Diamond Member
Mar 18, 2018
3,276
1,679
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Who says that you have to sit in a cubicle? My dad worked for himself for 30 plus years, and had a 4th grade education. He and my mom owned multiple businesses. He was also a contractor for NJ. His options were limited and yet he still forged a path for himself. My point is you don't have to do anything if it makes you unhappy.
Even though he had not much education, obviously he had a skill set and the personality for management and business. Not everyone has that skill set or opportunities to use it. Many people *do* have to work in a job that makes them unhappy to support themselves or their family. Dont think it is fair to imply they are somehow lazy or not trying.
 

soundforbjt

Lifer
Feb 15, 2002
17,788
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There is an exception for small farms with few employees, and for some contract type work, but overall, farm workers also have to be paid at least the federal or state minimum. I'm sure that due to the nature of the industry, the law is more commonly violated in the picking business.
And the Nunes family and other dairy farms in Iowa.