please help me confront my boss

[steff]

i am a newly qualified youth worker. i am working at my first high school that i attended as a student, who my family has had a lot to do with the councellor there. my brother was very close friends with her second eldest daughter, my sisters boyfriend lived at her place for over a year, and i received councelling from her during year 7 and 8.

 

she hired me at the end of last year. i was to start at the beginning of this school year, which i did.... she told me i wasnt going to be paid straight away, and was to have a probation period, which i was fine with.

 

however its two weeks away from the end of term 1, and i have not been paid one cent. i work very hard with the kids at the school, i research areas that i am not sure on, so i can give my kids the right information, i give my all when councelling the kids i have. the kids all love me, run up and hug me and want to spend alot of time with me, which my boss sees. i am at school before my boss gets there, working out what i need to do for the day, so she is not carring me under her wing, i know what i am doing.

 

i asked her two weeks ago about the pay, she said she spoke to the principle about paying me, and that it was fine, but would be half the legal rate for a while. so about $7.25 an hour. last friday i attempted to give her my hours but she said she would have to talk to the principle about paying me.

 

i dont know what to do, please help me.

[chocojay]

i think you should go straight to the principal, its not a favour that they are doing. So many times we tend to put our intrests behind those of our bosses when truth of the matter is that we both need each other here. you arent doing this for free, you have bills to pay and a lifestyle to sustain and you cant do that by being nice. Im not saying ambush them but you should be firm and let the principal know exacly what is on your mind, its been long and you need an income as agreed after your probation period. cmon now....dont let people walk over you or take you for granted. stand your ground[/color]

[Honey Pumpkin]

Be calm, polite and firm. Ask for a meeting with her and the principal within the next couple of days. Take a pad in with all your questions. Write down everything they say. Restate what they have agreed to. Say that you will put this in writing, and give them a copy afterwards, just so that you're all straight about what has been agreed, with dates and so on.

 

No one minds someone sticking up for themselves in a firm, business like manner. It's not about confrontation - it's about clarify and confirming expectations. You want to know what has been agreed, and what is going to happen, otherwise you may need to reconsider your options and take this further.

 

It will be FINE, honest - you'll get it sorted out no problem. Just remember to take a deep breath and be very professional and firm.

 

Good luck!

[BeStrongBeHappy]

Who is the person in charge of paying the checks? I think you need to first talk to the principal, then the personnel or accounting dept. next if you do not get your money.

 

I'm not sure about the laws there, but it is illegal to have someone work and not compensate them for their activites. If you have talked to the principal, then the personnel dept., and still don't get paid, then i suggest considering going up the chain until you do find someone who authorizes it, and if no one authorize it, go to the police and report the crime.

 

In the future, when you accept a job, make sure that you get a letter first stating the terms of employment and your salary. If they were deceptive and had intentions for you to 'volunteer' rather than get paid, you may end up having to take them to court to get your back wages, but lets hope it doesn't get to that point...

 

i would also suggest finding another job, because that place sounds very unprofessional, to not pay people, and to cut their salary AFTER they have already been working.