ElizabethD
9th July 2007, 01:51 PM
I told you my husband was working six days a week with no overtime. He also was not being given the days off he was supposed to get. He did not sign his employment agreement until he was three months into his job because they were very lax about paperwork and never gave it to him. When he received it, he signed it--it looked pretty straightforward.It had listed the hours of operation--not when he was supposed to work--it just said "as rostered" BEWARE OF THAT
Aslo, it said he needed to give four weeks notice in the event of termination or he would not receive the commission portion of the pay (which is something done in the US as well) Anyway, we never anticipated problems but the psychological abuse of the place was more than he could bear. After three months as well as one dayy of a week off where he'd be called in, he FINALLY got a Saturday and Sunday off to attend my son's soccer game. In front of all his peers the company owner overheard him talking to a friend and said What--how many xxx's have you sold this month"? and was basically humilated and told that with such a record he did not deserve a day off. Well, that was the final of many straws. Not in front of anyone, but a half hour later he told the owner he'd be leaving. placed his keys on the desk and mailed his credit card from home .
His final paycheck never came. He enquired and was told they were sorting it out. Finally, he was told that he would not get it because he did not give not give sufficient notice. THIS WAS WORK HE HAD ALREADY COMPLETED--AND FIVE DAYS EARNED VACATION.
Sure enough, I read the clause that said if you don't give notice, you owe them the money you would have been paid in that period. Thank god he was paid weekly
I contacted the labor board who siad that it was legal if he signed it.
I talked about why he had to leave and she said that we could take them to the tribunal for the psychological abuse but it would take months and not get me the $900 that was owed to him. The labor board person said that this was sneaky but legal because he signed it. I said that he was already employed and had no choice but to sign it.
In short, know this : in New Zealand, the law is on the side of the landlord
in New Zealand, the law is on the side of the employer. This is what I have learned in my 7 months here. I really don't know how I came to believe it would be such a "progressive" country. I have seen little evidence of it
Be very careful what you sign and NEVER make assumptions based on what would be fair and reasonable in anyone's book.
Aslo, it said he needed to give four weeks notice in the event of termination or he would not receive the commission portion of the pay (which is something done in the US as well) Anyway, we never anticipated problems but the psychological abuse of the place was more than he could bear. After three months as well as one dayy of a week off where he'd be called in, he FINALLY got a Saturday and Sunday off to attend my son's soccer game. In front of all his peers the company owner overheard him talking to a friend and said What--how many xxx's have you sold this month"? and was basically humilated and told that with such a record he did not deserve a day off. Well, that was the final of many straws. Not in front of anyone, but a half hour later he told the owner he'd be leaving. placed his keys on the desk and mailed his credit card from home .
His final paycheck never came. He enquired and was told they were sorting it out. Finally, he was told that he would not get it because he did not give not give sufficient notice. THIS WAS WORK HE HAD ALREADY COMPLETED--AND FIVE DAYS EARNED VACATION.
Sure enough, I read the clause that said if you don't give notice, you owe them the money you would have been paid in that period. Thank god he was paid weekly
I contacted the labor board who siad that it was legal if he signed it.
I talked about why he had to leave and she said that we could take them to the tribunal for the psychological abuse but it would take months and not get me the $900 that was owed to him. The labor board person said that this was sneaky but legal because he signed it. I said that he was already employed and had no choice but to sign it.
In short, know this : in New Zealand, the law is on the side of the landlord
in New Zealand, the law is on the side of the employer. This is what I have learned in my 7 months here. I really don't know how I came to believe it would be such a "progressive" country. I have seen little evidence of it
Be very careful what you sign and NEVER make assumptions based on what would be fair and reasonable in anyone's book.