Former employer screwing me and other employees over... his wife is a lawyer too!?

Long story short: I quit the part-time job I had because the owner/manager is pretty awful. He lies, yells, and cheats people. This is a little restaurant in NYC and he won鈥檛 let employees keep tips, etc. Total nut job. Anyway, his entire staff either stopped showing up, put in their two weeks notice, or was fired by the owner. Another employee and me quit at the same time (I put in my two weeks, she didn鈥檛), and a day after we both were gone, he canceled both of our last paychecks, which both had already been deposited. We both found out our checks had been withdrawn from our accounts, and contacted the owner.



He accused us (individually) of stealing from the store, which is why we weren鈥檛 being paid. He has no proof of me doing this of course, but at the same time, I have no proof that I earned my paycheck, besides the pay stub of course. I have already filed something with the department of labor鈥?but is there anything else I can do? Or things I shouldn鈥檛 do? The other employee is extremely angry and is going above and beyond to fight back, but I don鈥檛 know how involved I should get.



Any advice? By the way, his wife is an employment lawyer (not sure how she sleeps at night鈥?, so this owner will have tricks up his sleeve if I ever take any legal action against him. He鈥檚 also extremely wealthy.Former employer screwing me and other employees over... his wife is a lawyer too!?
You are entitled to your pay, and the State Department of Labor will tell him that. He COULD argue that you didn't work, in which case you'd have to provide evidence (including the testimony of other workers) that you DID. Lots of employers TRY these sorts of tricks, but they aren't successful.



All your arguments over him yelling or lying are totally irrelevant here, all that matters is :Did you work, and were you paid?
Get ahold of your local labor board and ask for an arbitration. If the man owes you money then the man owes you money. If he's got evidence that you stole from him then he needs to take that and you to court. But the wages you earned are yours and the board should help you get whats yours.

Have a nice day.Former employer screwing me and other employees over... his wife is a lawyer too!?
Contact the New York State Department of Labor and tell explain your case. Just because your employer know the law, it doesn't mean he obeys it.



You might find something on their website (www.labor.ny.gov/) but I would call or go there.
Sounds to me getting your own back or a personnel vendetta will be more satisfying.



Not that i condone that of course.Former employer screwing me and other employees over... his wife is a lawyer too!?
you have a pay stub and a record from the bank showing it both deposited by him are withdew by him its a small craims case cost you about 65 to file it and then go to court
you THE PROOF YOU HAVE THE have a pay stub and a THE record from the bank showing it both deposited by him AND THEN withdew by him. TAKE IT TO small claims . If your check is m ore rthan the 65. 00 then its worth it. To me Yes it would be. Beside regardless of his wife being an attorney. Thats not to say #1 she agrees with his doing.

#2 whats right is right and whats wrong, IS WRONG!!

#3 The law is the law. If ur thinking they will lie, then they are commiting perjury, becuase they are under oath, you all will be.!! my conceern, is your last comment, You'r not sure how involved you should get. Let me tell you unless you intend on gng back to wrk for him, or are related to him. WHY WOULDNT YOU FIGHT FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR WAGES????? Besides in my opinion, it would look alot better, if you'll did it together, because the first question is usually that do you have proof and it seems you both do!!!

Gd luck!!!
What he did was unlawful. If you contact the state labor board, they can fight it out with the employer at no cost to you. If he suspects you were stealing, the proper course is to fire you, pay you up to date and then sue you for the thefts. He does not get to withhold pay. You might also want to contact your bank. Once the checks cleared they should not have removed the money.