Is this Legal?

[bjfish11 5,000+ posts]

OK, here is the deal.

My girlfriend works as a receptionist at a salon here in town. Last week, a guy came in as she was on the phone with her manager. She was telling the manager they were really busy, and asked her if they were supposed to have more than 3 stylists working that night. She said she wasnt for sure, to check the schedule for her. She told the customer that walked in that she would be with him in just a minute. She went on to tell her manager who was working that night, and the rest of the weekend. The guy ended up walking out of the store and walked down the street to a different place to get his hair cut.

Turns out, the guy called the 800 number to where she worked and complained. Then without contacting my girlfriend, the owner of this chain wrote a letter to her telling her what the guy had said. (She was rude to him and continued her conversation on the phone about her plans for the weekend when he needed service.) The owner told my girlfriend that her raise was postponed for 30 days, she had to write a letter to the man as an apology, and that the $14 he would have paid for his hair cut would be taken out of her pay check.

So my question is, can an employer take money out of your paycheck for something like this? Does it depend on the state?

What do you think she should do about it?

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[j3bus2k3 5,000+ posts]

Why not have your girlfriend talk to her manager that she was on the phone with to straighten the problem out? Seems like that should be the first thing to do...

 

[pd298 10+ year member]

yes its legal.

 

[bjfish11 5,000+ posts]

Why not have your girlfriend talk to her manager that she was on the phone with to straighten the problem out? Seems like that should be the first thing to do...

Thats what I said. But the owner is all about her money I guess. So either way, the complaint was filed and she wants the money for the walk out.

 

[mtdewelf 10+ year member]

she should have put the boss on hold and dealt with customer in a more friendly manner.

 

[90accordman 5,000+ posts]

The Business can't legally make her pay for it, but its one of those situations where if you fight it, theres no way its going to come out good. and if its that bad in her opinion then its time to look for another job

 

[bjfish11 5,000+ posts]

she should have put the boss on hold and dealt with customer in a more friendly manner.

I agree there, but Im just curious more about the legality of taking money out of her paycheck. I definately think it should have been handled a different way.

 

[baseballer1100 5,000+ posts]

Thats nuts.

 

[mtdewelf 10+ year member]

it's 14bucks, tell her to apologize, write the letter, pay, and be thankful.

 

[bjfish11 5,000+ posts]

The Business can't legally make her pay for it, but its one of those situations where if you fight it, theres no way its going to come out good. and if its that bad in her opinion then its time to look for another job

She said she was going to quit. BUT, the problem is, she starts school tomorrow and can only work like 15 hrs a week. I told her she may have a hard time finding a job around here that will hire her because of that (and still make a decent pay).

 

[bjfish11 5,000+ posts]

it's 14bucks, tell her to apologize, write the letter, pay, and be thankful.

But this isnt the first time its happened. The owner has the "dollar jar," everytime someone messes up, forgets a clean up duty, etc. they have to put a dollar in the jar. Guess who gets the money?

 

[90accordman 5,000+ posts]

She said she was going to quit. BUT, the problem is, she starts school tomorrow and can only work like 15 hrs a week. I told her she may have a hard time finding a job around here that will hire her because of that (and still make a decent pay).

As i said it wont come out good if she fights it so just as someone else said do what she has to and just get over it, but legally they cant, it just isnt worth it to fight

 

[yne721 10+ year member]

contact better business bearau.

as far as you know, all the man wanted was a question answered about some kind of product. they shouldn't be able to deduct money when they aren't even sure what he wanted...or else they could just deduct 100 bucks and be like "He was going to buy one of every shampoo"

 

[bjfish11 5,000+ posts]

contact better business bearau.
as far as you know, all the man wanted was a question answered about some kind of product. they shouldn't be able to deduct money when they aren't even sure what he wanted...or else they could just deduct 100 bucks and be like "He was going to buy one of every shampoo"

Tis true, never thought of that.

 

[90accordman 5,000+ posts]

contact better business bearau.
as far as you know, all the man wanted was a question answered about some kind of product. they shouldn't be able to deduct money when they aren't even sure what he wanted...or else they could just deduct 100 bucks and be like "He was going to buy one of every shampoo"

yea its true but will not come out good for her as the company will fire here afterwards for any small reason they can come up with.