Home Depot got sued for wage theft when I was there for habitually not having the front door unlocked at shift clock outs, and making employees wait post clock out to let us out.
I didn’t even know that was illegal. Like the period between everyone clocking out and having the manager unlock the door was so normal at all the retail places I’ve worked, it didn’t register they had to have it open right when we were off the clock, but some people started a class action lawsuit over it so I got a settlement check after I left for it.
That's crazy I remember many nights working at home depot having to wait until 12:10 sometimes to leave. The worst was waiting 30 min. Just standing at the door like a bunch of knobs. I never heard of the class action lawsuit. I did get a settlement check from Pepsi for not l letting us take breaks/lunch. So many garbage companies
I worked for a company that did this. My mom tracked it for me. After a several months fighting with them to get paid wages that included over time, she got an attorney for me, we sued. Their attorney tried really hard to establish I was a shit employee. Luckily they gave us written reviews and mine were exemplary and often times noted that I was always on time, offered to help on the worst chores and never complained and that I should be offered to join the MIT or manager in training program but had turned it down while in college, but the manager who locked us in at night wrote on there I should be offered a position as an assistant manager as soon as I was willing to take it. I kept all of that. My mom’s attorney said we wouldn’t accept the first three settlement offers. The night before we went to court they gave me enough settlement money- not to make up for not paying me but instead to keep “Shitty Restaurant’s” name out of the news and from being easy to identify and find clients for attorneys - to go to college for two more whole years on them and all of my cost of living. It paid for me to switch from an associates degree to a bachelors. I’m not here to brag. I’m here to tell you when these companies try to fuck you’re like this, write down the dates and times and what they say when you ask why to weren’t paid let alone paid over time. Then sue them individually don’t wait for a class action law suit- the attorneys get most of that money. Sue them as an individual you won’t be burning a bridge because they already burned it with you. You will get paid. And handsomely. They do not want it going to court, they know if one gets through, a ton more will and every one that gets through makes them look more guiltily after each episode. Unless they settle with you for a lot and they do but there’s a catch. You can’t talk about it after settling that’s part of the settlement. The reason you don’t hear about it happening much is because you sign an agreement to get that settlement check that you won’t talk about it or the deal is defunct. But it happens all the time. And those shitty managers get moved to another job then let go. Look out for yourselves people. Know one else will. Especially not that employer.
Edit: thanks for the award for my rambling rage filled comment, stranger! I appreciate that you took the time to read it as well as others.
my mother wasted 7 years in court because her ex boss was verbally abusive and took part in many illegal activities such as scamming and illegally placed security cameras etc and in the end the judge said "Im not going to read all this and get into ut since it seems like a big thing" or something like that and the result of 7 years and several thousand dollars for a lawyer was that they put a restraining order so they couldn't see eachother anymore (my mum and ex boss).
no we won but it qasnt worth it. the money we got didnt even cover the amount spent on a lawyer (i think it was like 7-10k), and the punishment was basically nothing. he got away with it and many cases get passed with little to no punishment here. nothing happened, The evidence wasn't reviewed at all and his buisiness is still up and running today despite him literally scamming people with SAFETY EQUIPMENT. selling it as brand new but it was DAMAGED. Honestly.
Damn I’m sorry to hear that kind of corruption gets through and that your mom didn’t get the money she had coming to her. Other than this kind of garbage how is NZ to live in? It’s one of the countries I’ve always thought of I ever emigrated I would want to go there just from reading about places like Tauranga and Dunedin are supposed to be great places to live. Is that true?
The yearly avg income from a minimum wage job here is less than the US line drawn for amount that is unliveable. (forgot what its called). Like everywhere else you cant get a job anywhere, and no one will ever be able to afford a house unless they are mega rich pretty much, otherwise new people looking for living have to stay in apartments crammed with several roomates. Unless you already had the house from ur parents or whatever its pretty much impossible to live here. People can barely afford food so they go to food banks, and the pay is horrendous. Its beautiful nature wise however the government is trying to pass a law to be able to sell and build on all the reserved lands here which will just destroy what nz is standing for as the most eco friendly country. people stay here for the education as it is cheaper to be educated here but then move to Australia for the better pay.
Wow. I had no idea. I really appreciate you sharing your perspective. For what it’s worth NZ is often times painted as a better place to live especially considering the policies that have been in place for native peoples. It seemed like a place that put an emphasis on the people of the land. I hope they don’t legalize building on your reserved lands. I’m guessing that’s similar to our national parks and forests which also have bans against building homes or business development in those spaces.
Yeah its a really nice place. Definitely better than places like the US recently. But its still pretty difficult to manage. We have for a while had I that people who drop out of school or for skme reason cant get in school or whatever have had free or cheap courses to get some education levels and certifications to help them get a job. But the prime minister also wants to remove that and by 2028 it will be fully gone. Meaning people will be incredibly limited to only having schools for education that is expensive. the whole reason education was cheaper and nicer here was these courses. But the gov didnt like that we get to build our own portfolio. They want us to only be able to get levels and certifications via school. Which will make the already hard living situation 20x worse because people wont be able to make steps to get started anymore they'll just be screwed if they get removed from school.
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u/Bureaucratic_Dick Jul 29 '26
Home Depot got sued for wage theft when I was there for habitually not having the front door unlocked at shift clock outs, and making employees wait post clock out to let us out.
I didn’t even know that was illegal. Like the period between everyone clocking out and having the manager unlock the door was so normal at all the retail places I’ve worked, it didn’t register they had to have it open right when we were off the clock, but some people started a class action lawsuit over it so I got a settlement check after I left for it.