Did my work stiff Me?

[glegend]

I have not posted a topic in a while.

 

At my work the Spring/Summer 2010 season is starting. As most of you know my part time job, while in school, is in retail. That I work in the "Outdoor Living" Department.

 

Heres the deal, my manager approached me and another guy in my deparment to build BBQ's, Lawnmower, Lawn Tillers, Patio Furnature, Wheelbarrows, and pretty much anything that needs assembling in my department. Now this is for both display purposes and customers. At first she said its $22 per Full Size BBQ that we assemble, and $12.50 per Small BBQ. It's all piece work. Now the BBQ changed for full size to $19.

 

I`ve pretty much all week putting BBQ's together.

 

Tue = 4-9

Wed = 3-9

Thurs = 3-9

Fri = 3-9

Sat = 8-8

 

My pay was a $360 dollar cheque. These hours didn't go towards our hours of employement. Min wage went up last week to $10.25 and I'm starting to have doubts on this assembling thing because if I were to be building these items my work is underpaying me because some of them take full two hours to put together.

 

So do you guys think I'm am getting stiffed and am a sucker to do these?

[Day_Walker]

I am not familiar with Canadian Employment Law, I would assume that there is a Administrative Agency that deals with Employee Rights and I would suggest talking to them.

 

As far as I understand the situation, you could be paid for piece work if you're an independent contractor (which means they wouldnt have to pay you minimum wage), but if you were an employee then you would have to be paid a minimum wage. I would talk with the administrative agency that deals with this matters and see if you have a claim.

[glegend]

I can't really talk to them, due to the way I got paid.

[jul-els]

I can't really talk to them, due to the way I got paid.

 

If you're getting paid under the table, then it's a pretty much take it or leave it situation. You can always ask for more money, all they can do is say no.

[Day_Walker]

I can't really talk to them, due to the way I got paid.

 

If you are getting paid under the table then you could still report the matter but it seems like issues about you paying taxes could come up in the future.

 

If you're being paid under the table then you dont really have many options.

[Dako]

Since you're likely to stay, it'd be smart to get something in writing about your piecework rates. You might still be underpaid but at least you'll fend off any future reductions.

 

Sounds like a tough job because you're on so many different assemblies, so speeding up isn't as easy as on repetitive ones.

[alli]

I'm a bit confused. You worked 35 hours & were paid $360, and you said "these hours were not counted toward hours of employment" What does that mean?

 

So you said you get paid 20ish dollars for each big BBQ thing you put together. But with current minimum wage rate, it looks more like you are just getting paid minimum wage, tax free. So was $360 the entire amount you get paid for the week, or do you get paid for both the hours AND the equipment you put together?

 

I would keep a record yourself of what you put together, add it up & see if it matches your paycheck. If it doesn't, you can bring it to the attention of your employer, who will either fix it or argue with you & stand by "take it or leave it", in which you can either back down or quit.

[glegend]

I'm a bit confused. You worked 35 hours & were paid $360, and you said "these hours were not counted toward hours of employment" What does that mean?

 

So you said you get paid 20ish dollars for each big BBQ thing you put together. But with current minimum wage rate, it looks more like you are just getting paid minimum wage, tax free. So was $360 the entire amount you get paid for the week, or do you get paid for both the hours AND the equipment you put together?

 

I would keep a record yourself of what you put together, add it up & see if it matches your paycheck. If it doesn't, you can bring it to the attention of your employer, who will either fix it or argue with you & stand by "take it or leave it", in which you can either back down or quit.

 

I got paid under the table. There is no real record of me working the hours I did. I did punch in, via the handpunch machine. The only of me working is the camera footage.

 

$19 per full size BBQ. On average they take 2 hours to put together, with the exception of two that I put together in 1 hour. The two that I put together in 1 hour, I made money on it no doubt about that. But the other ones, took 2 hours. New min wage is $10.25/hour, so that $20.50 for two hours so they underpaid me for the rest by $1.50. The $360 was for BBQ's alone.

 

It all adds up for the correct amount of money for the BBQ. But I'm just trying to figure out if I am being played for a sucker here or if its really worth doing.

 

Since you're likely to stay, it'd be smart to get something in writing about your piecework rates. You might still be underpaid but at least you'll fend off any future reductions.

 

Sounds like a tough job because you're on so many different assemblies, so speeding up isn't as easy as on repetitive ones.

 

Well yea I'm going to stay until I get some things straightened out with life and stuff. At first this assembly thing sounded like a great idea, as they keep cutting hours especially busy seasons. So it sounded like a great way to make some extra cash, I figured it would make up for any lost hours.

 

Its tough. Thats another thing that makes me question if it is really worth. It's very tiring work, and having worked in the trades I know what tough work is like. Speeding up is really hard, the only part that I am able to speed up on is getting the base done. As a lot of the better quality ones, have casters underneath the base and I get on it right away. Then the sides go one, then the rest takes time.

 

If you are getting paid under the table then you could still report the matter but it seems like issues about you paying taxes could come up in the future.

 

If you're being paid under the table then you dont really have many options.

 

 

Well I could report them to the ministry and then get them in trouble. Have Revenue Canada watch them over like a hawk, same time the Ministry of Labour will probably watch over them like a hawk. But like you said I will probably have to pay the taxes, which I don't mind if I have to.

 

However, I am really stuck here and I have to come up with a decison whether I keep on going or tell my manager no I cannot keep doing this, just schedule me for my regular shifts.

 

If you're getting paid under the table, then it's a pretty much take it or leave it situation. You can always ask for more money, all they can do is say no.

 

Well thats the thing, getting paid under the table is a take it or leave it type situation. I don't know if I should say that I need more money per full size BBQ because $19 is not enough and we need to go back to the original $22/BBQ.

 

I can't complian about the small ones because some of them really didn't require much work. Like 10 minutes worth of work and I got the $12.50, like one of them all I needed to do was lift the BBQ to the standing position and clip it into place and screw the regulator on.

[jul-els]

Well thats the thing, getting paid under the table is a take it or leave it type situation. I don't know if I should say that I need more money per full size BBQ because $19 is not enough and we need to go back to the original $22/BBQ.

 

I can't complian about the small ones because some of them really didn't require much work. Like 10 minutes worth of work and I got the $12.50, like one of them all I needed to do was lift the BBQ to the standing position and clip it into place and screw the regulator on.

 

I guess it would depend then on what the ratio is of small to large units. If it's mostly large ones, then you may want to see if you can renegotiate your price. If it's a good ratio though, then I'd say you're making at least minimum, if not over.

[AuthenticAuthor]

I don't know what the laws say in Canada, but you're not being paid by the hour; you're being paid by the product. Under the table too. And you agreed to it. You have two options as far as I know:

 

1) Ask for a higher price

2) Figure out a way to crank out those BBQs faster, as difficult as it may be.

 

How many BBQs are left to construct? If it's a lot, you could make a killing if you construct them faster than before. I've known builders who could construct a house within a week because they're simply that fast. And they're dealing with tools and materials of all shapes and sizes! It's unbelievable how fast you can be if you figured out an efficient plan of production.

[glegend]

I don't know what the laws say in Canada, but you're not being paid by the hour; you're being paid by the product. Under the table too. And you agreed to it. You have two options as far as I know:

 

1) Ask for a higher price

2) Figure out a way to crank out those BBQs faster, as difficult as it may be.

 

How many BBQs are left to construct? If it's a lot, you could make a killing if you construct them faster than before. I've known builders who could construct a house within a week because they're simply that fast. And they're dealing with tools and materials of all shapes and sizes! It's unbelievable how fast you can be if you figured out an efficient plan of production.

 

BBQ's are all done until a customer comes and purchases one and wants it assembled.

 

The thing with house building is it is impossible to build a house in 1 week. Your foundation takes 28 days to fully cure, so until that pretty much nothing happens and your stuck just waiting, plus you need a few days to do your form work and you need your footing and foundation inspection. After that its just a matter of hours to days where you could frame everything up and put a roof on it. You could even put the house up with prefabricated panels and that could be done in a matter of a few hours.

[glegend]

I guess it would depend then on what the ratio is of small to large units. If it's mostly large ones, then you may want to see if you can renegotiate your price. If it's a good ratio though, then I'd say you're making at least minimum, if not over.

 

There are more large units over small units.

[AuthenticAuthor]

The thing with house building is it is impossible to build a house in 1 week. Your foundation takes 28 days to fully cure, so until that pretty much nothing happens and your stuck just waiting, plus you need a few days to do your form work and you need your footing and foundation inspection. After that its just a matter of hours to days where you could frame everything up and put a roof on it. You could even put the house up with prefabricated panels and that could be done in a matter of a few hours.

 

Not if you're dealing with prefab-housing. Regardless, you could always take a different job if you feel that this one is not worth the effort put into it.

[glegend]

Not if you're dealing with prefab-housing. Regardless, you could always take a different job if you feel that this one is not worth the effort put into it.

 

Like I said with prefab houses they can go up in a matter of hours. But concrete will still take the same amount of time to cure, of course you could go with a chemically modified fast drying concrete but still you need 7 days for it to cure to a state that its structurally safe to work on.

[Dako]

I think most people with jobs ae trying to be very efficient these days. I'm always sorting my tools and spend time looking at how a magnetic fastener tray or driver bit will save time.

 

I'll bet just unpacking all those parts and dumping the trash eats up time.

It takes me a good hour and a half to unpack and assemble a fridge and dolly it upstairs to an apartment. Hourly, though.

 

Hang in there.

[glegend]

Your totally right Dako. Its the unpacking of all the components, thowing out the trash, and seeing which screws are the right ones to use, that eats up all the time. Plus, connecting the side burner takes time for some strange reason. Plus, using a cordless drill doesn't really help with some of the BBQ's.