Minor Labor Laws NJ

Submitted by HistoricalMap6718 t3_10gj1yy in newjersey

I worked as a minor 17 years old in the state of New Jersey for 2 weeks at Five Guys. I never was given a clock in number for those 2 weeks. My hiring manger would always text me my schedule on Sundays or earlier. On the start of the 3rd week (Sunday) I texted my manager what will my schedule be for the week. He never answered. I texted him again a follow up message on Thursday and no answer. Later that day I was texted by another manger saying that her and the hiring manager talked and I don’t seem like “good fit” for this job. Is it illegal that they have never payed me though I was never given an employee number ?

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Comments

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HydratedMemes t1_j532587 wrote

They definitely have to pay you at least minimum wage for however many hours you worked in the two weeks.

You can either threaten to report them or just report them to the NJ department of Labor. Make sure to include the location, the exact days and hours you worked, and every scrap of paperwork/texts/emails/whatever you got when reporting.

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HistoricalMap6718 OP t1_j532t29 wrote

Appreciate your response! I texted the hiring manger and no response (as of now) right after the other manger texted me. Figure I’ll give him until the new work week which will be this Sunday and if nothing than i’ll report them.

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betcher73 t1_j537k8m wrote

Don’t wait. Just text him and say, “I expect to be paid for the hours I worked ASAP or I will be going to dept of labor and asking them to handle it.”

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FiendishDevil666 t1_j534hbo wrote

Save all text messages, especially the ones with your hours and schedule. Document everything. Find a labor attorney.

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HistoricalMap6718 OP t1_j534rkm wrote

already have screenshots of all conversations saved :) will definitely be looking into a labor attorney

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WhatIsTickyTacky t1_j538xmq wrote

For something like this, two weeks at basically minimum wage, a lawyer may be of limited use but the DOL makes filing a complaint on your own really easy. I’ve had to do it myself before.

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JimJobbers t1_j53svvh wrote

Employee number, no employee number, doesn’t matter. Did you work? If so, how many hours? If they don’t answer you or pay you in a reasonable timeframe, report them to the NJ Department of Labor.

Make sure you write down the exact dates and times you worked, any saved correspondence such as texts or emails. The more information, the better.

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HeyItsPanda69 t1_j54u5fl wrote

If they didn't pay you they also didn't pay taxes for your employment. Report them to the Department of Labor and the IRS

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s55555s t1_j537s8e wrote

I would also go to your manager’s boss ASAP and explain.

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HistoricalMap6718 OP t1_j53ak3s wrote

the hiring manger or the manger who texted me that i was “not a good fit”

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s55555s t1_j53gg7r wrote

I would go to whomever is running the place- franchise owner?

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ardent_wolf t1_j551ttc wrote

Don’t bother going to anyone at this company. They clearly don’t care, and you’re probably not the first person this has happened to. Just report them and let the state fine them for this. The DoL will get you your money especially with the screenshots of your schedule. They fucked around, let them find out. You don’t owe them a courtesy, and if the ‘owner’ has such little involvement that they don’t know this is happening that’s on them. Not your problem to fix.

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oneeyedwilly278 t1_j53k4z4 wrote

Ok you need to get paid that's on them.

I'm going out on a limb here and guessing you were a less than desirable employee if they let you go in this environment.

Were you finding things to do when not busy, asking for guidance, figuring out what you should learn for a promotion or raise?

Did they give you zero training or something?

Lately high school kids need to be held by the hand and walked through menial tasks. Even fully trained you don't give them attention for a week and you'll find them on their phone in the back. Worst time to be in the fast food or retail business.

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HistoricalMap6718 OP t1_j53o975 wrote

I was only officially trained on one station. They asked if I knew how to operate a register. I said yes,since I operated one at my old job dunkin’, but I would like someone to walk me through how to use theres. They just said I’ll be fine and threw me at register. I had to basically teach my self. When I did have a question on it ex. finding a button,special orders.. they would act as if I should have known how to work it. One day they ask me why I never completed any of the training videos. I said I was never told to do any since I never was. I learned how to make milkshakes on my own just by seeing how my other coworkers did it and one day just decided to do them. During shifts if it was not busy I would ask if there was anything that needed to be done for the up keeping of the store. Which they always would reply no since I was never trained on it. I did do the simple tasks sweeping etc. One day the same manger was working with me and asked what I had already learned and I told her how officially I only was trained on one station and how the rest ,register and milkshakes I just caught on. She replied saying oh ok so your progressing. Before each shift ended I would ask if there was anything that they needed me to do before I left if there was I finished them told them I had finished that said task and if there was anything else i needed to do.

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oneeyedwilly278 t1_j53q4xs wrote

Honestly pm me and I'd be glad to call on your behalf pretending to be a parent ill get you your $

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oneeyedwilly278 t1_j53pv75 wrote

Fair enough young buck it's on them then .. hope you find somewhere new with better training and keep up the spirit .. things have been weird the last few years and a lot of training from older employees has gone out the window bc they've moved on to different roles.. my fault for the insult

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