WuLabsWuTecH
Forum Deputy Chief
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Hi everyone,
Sorry I haven't been around lately, I have been working 2 jobs and have been busy with that and school. My question is this and I'm hoping someone on the board has some knowledge of how this works?
I am in Ohio, a hire "at-will" state.
I was hired on at a certain wage, and when I got my first paycheck, a wage 50 cents lower appeared. I called HR and they said the owner himself had changed it so I had to talk to him. Strange... but ok, maybe there was some miscommunication. After talking wih him, he told me that he changed it punatively since I had leaked out payroll information (my wage) to other employees and it was higher.
Now, the first day there, I was harassed by employees who asked us 3 new hires how much we were making, but I did not say anything. MY partner continued to harass me and I informed management of the issue the next day. In any case, I did not disclose the pay information but it may have well been disclosed by one of the 2 other new guys. The owner is claiming that my partner that day told him I told him what my wage was and he was unhappy and wanted a raise (untrue since I got in a fight with him precisely b/c I DIDN'T disclose my wage).
In any case, can my employer retroactively decrease my wage? I was not informed of this until I got my paycheck. The owner refuses to reinstate my wage and refuses back-pay for the last 4 weeks (I got my first 2 weeks' of pay 3 weeks after I started or last Friday, this is my 4th week with them).
The owner claims that as long as he pays me at least minimum wage, he can change my wage any time he wants without informing me.
This seems unethical at best, but it does seem like there should be protection somewhere in the law against this kind of thing. I have, however, been unable to find literature either way on the issue.
So my first question, does anyone have any ideas if he is in the right here or potentially, even if it is not illegal, could I file a small claims suit for my backpay?
My second question is, I have put in applications elsewhere. One of these has already come back. Since Ohio is a hired "at-will" state, I know i can quite anytime without notice, but is a pay cut a good enough reason to acept another job and resign immediately without giving the customary and "polite" 2 weeks?
Thanks!
-Wu
Sorry I haven't been around lately, I have been working 2 jobs and have been busy with that and school. My question is this and I'm hoping someone on the board has some knowledge of how this works?
I am in Ohio, a hire "at-will" state.
I was hired on at a certain wage, and when I got my first paycheck, a wage 50 cents lower appeared. I called HR and they said the owner himself had changed it so I had to talk to him. Strange... but ok, maybe there was some miscommunication. After talking wih him, he told me that he changed it punatively since I had leaked out payroll information (my wage) to other employees and it was higher.
Now, the first day there, I was harassed by employees who asked us 3 new hires how much we were making, but I did not say anything. MY partner continued to harass me and I informed management of the issue the next day. In any case, I did not disclose the pay information but it may have well been disclosed by one of the 2 other new guys. The owner is claiming that my partner that day told him I told him what my wage was and he was unhappy and wanted a raise (untrue since I got in a fight with him precisely b/c I DIDN'T disclose my wage).
In any case, can my employer retroactively decrease my wage? I was not informed of this until I got my paycheck. The owner refuses to reinstate my wage and refuses back-pay for the last 4 weeks (I got my first 2 weeks' of pay 3 weeks after I started or last Friday, this is my 4th week with them).
The owner claims that as long as he pays me at least minimum wage, he can change my wage any time he wants without informing me.
This seems unethical at best, but it does seem like there should be protection somewhere in the law against this kind of thing. I have, however, been unable to find literature either way on the issue.
So my first question, does anyone have any ideas if he is in the right here or potentially, even if it is not illegal, could I file a small claims suit for my backpay?
My second question is, I have put in applications elsewhere. One of these has already come back. Since Ohio is a hired "at-will" state, I know i can quite anytime without notice, but is a pay cut a good enough reason to acept another job and resign immediately without giving the customary and "polite" 2 weeks?
Thanks!
-Wu
