Here is another discussion regarding mainly Midwest Valet and some problems.
Urban Review on Midwest Valet
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Monday, August 11, 2008
Savings Account Scam for Accidents
OK, here's my take on the $1 per hour deduction for your qoute savings account to cover the deductible if you have an accident. First off, I am not sure Midwest can legally charge you the deductible on an accident. As employers assume a certain amount of risk, that employees may cause them a lose. That would be like if you are the doorman at a hotel, and you accidentally damaged some one's luggage the hotel charges that employee $500. The problem here is it was an accident, not negligence in the course of ones duties. If any of you have been charged this amount, for $17 you can go to small claims court in St. Louis County and you may stand a very good chance of getting your money back. I know some employers like to charge their employees for expenses, and will do so as long as they can get a way with it or should I say caught. But the good employers do not try to hustle their employees.
Next, I count up to as many as 47 employees on the roster at times. If each employee meets their savings account minimum, that means Midwest is operating on your money of $500 each times 47 for a total of $23,500 of free money, interest free. So essentially you are loaning them $500 of your money because this may not be exactly legal. This is not to be confused with deposits or charge backs for uniforms. That is perfectly legal and normal for many employment situations. I got to tell you, if Midwest had tried to take my money for an accident, I can assure you this matter would have been settled in smalls claim court. And in the employee hand out it says they will refund this amount to you when you are no longer employed by Midwest. Well, I have yet to get my money back from the so called savings account.
Finally, there is a problem here on the minimum wage issue as an employer can not take deductions from your pay that put you below Missouri's minimum hourly wage. I'll discuss the correct minimum pay in the minimum pay topic.
I will try to research this more and update this post. But personally, I think it is a hustle and another way to get free money.
Next, I count up to as many as 47 employees on the roster at times. If each employee meets their savings account minimum, that means Midwest is operating on your money of $500 each times 47 for a total of $23,500 of free money, interest free. So essentially you are loaning them $500 of your money because this may not be exactly legal. This is not to be confused with deposits or charge backs for uniforms. That is perfectly legal and normal for many employment situations. I got to tell you, if Midwest had tried to take my money for an accident, I can assure you this matter would have been settled in smalls claim court. And in the employee hand out it says they will refund this amount to you when you are no longer employed by Midwest. Well, I have yet to get my money back from the so called savings account.
Finally, there is a problem here on the minimum wage issue as an employer can not take deductions from your pay that put you below Missouri's minimum hourly wage. I'll discuss the correct minimum pay in the minimum pay topic.
I will try to research this more and update this post. But personally, I think it is a hustle and another way to get free money.
Minimum Wage Violation
The current minimum wage in Missouri is $6.50 per hour.
Tipped Employees – Tipped employees must be paid at a rate of 50 percent of the new Missouri minimum wage, up to and including the full wage rate if the tips do not add up to the difference. THE CURRENT MINIMUM WAGE FOR TIPPED EMPLOYEES IN MISSOURI IS $2.13 PER HOUR AS LONG AS AFTER TIPS YOUR TOTAL WAGES FOR THE WEEK (AFTER THE $1 PER HOUR COLLISION SAVINGS ACCOUNT DEDUCTION) IS $6.50 PER HOUR.
So how do you figure if you were paid at least the minimum wage. First off, it is per weekly pay period. Add up your hours for the week and multiply that by $6.50 per hour. If the total of your reported tips plus the wage you were paid per hour adds up to be less than this total, Midwest Valet is required to make up the difference. If they take out a deduction, such as the $1 per hour deductible for your collision savings after this deduction your hourly calculated wage for the week still must meet the minumum or they must make up the difference. Odds are on some weeks you did not make your minimum wage. Don't forget to add the hours in for the bi weekly meeting. This must be included in total hours worked.
The calculation starts new each week/pay period. So one week you may make minimum wage and the next week you don't, well they have to make up the difference for that week.
They can not average the weeks and claim they are paying the correct minimum wage which is what I think Midwest Valet tries to do.
I know in my case I can find several weeks they owe me money for minimum wage shortage.
Tipped Employees – Tipped employees must be paid at a rate of 50 percent of the new Missouri minimum wage, up to and including the full wage rate if the tips do not add up to the difference. THE CURRENT MINIMUM WAGE FOR TIPPED EMPLOYEES IN MISSOURI IS $2.13 PER HOUR AS LONG AS AFTER TIPS YOUR TOTAL WAGES FOR THE WEEK (AFTER THE $1 PER HOUR COLLISION SAVINGS ACCOUNT DEDUCTION) IS $6.50 PER HOUR.
So how do you figure if you were paid at least the minimum wage. First off, it is per weekly pay period. Add up your hours for the week and multiply that by $6.50 per hour. If the total of your reported tips plus the wage you were paid per hour adds up to be less than this total, Midwest Valet is required to make up the difference. If they take out a deduction, such as the $1 per hour deductible for your collision savings after this deduction your hourly calculated wage for the week still must meet the minumum or they must make up the difference. Odds are on some weeks you did not make your minimum wage. Don't forget to add the hours in for the bi weekly meeting. This must be included in total hours worked.
The calculation starts new each week/pay period. So one week you may make minimum wage and the next week you don't, well they have to make up the difference for that week.
They can not average the weeks and claim they are paying the correct minimum wage which is what I think Midwest Valet tries to do.
I know in my case I can find several weeks they owe me money for minimum wage shortage.
Still waiting on my paycheck
I do not know about anyone else, who has worked for Midwest Valet in St. Louis, but I hear some employees have problems getting their pay checks or their paychecks are several weeks late. Also, I understand that Midwest Valet may be in violation of paying the correct minimum wage.
My experience has been very bad when it comes to getting my paycheck. The first check I recieved was short one week and no one would tell me why. The second check they claim got lost in the mail. The third check they sent me, was only for one week and it bounced. Finally they mailed me the 6 weeks they owed me. So when my check bounced and I guess I got fired, because I did not show up for work on the day the bank informed the check was no good. Just could not work another day for free. Now as of this date and repeated request, they have not paid me my final paycheck or the the amount they deducted for the so called collision savings account.
Never got an apology for the bounced check or an offer to pay me the extra money my bank charged me for the bad check.
As for the minimum wage problem, I will do this in a separate post and show you how you may be getting shorted on your paycheck for the minimum wage due you.
Meanwhile, I would like to hear anyones comments on their experience with anything at Midwest Valet.
I set this up so you can comment annonymously and I will not edit your comments, so you can say what ever you like.
My experience has been very bad when it comes to getting my paycheck. The first check I recieved was short one week and no one would tell me why. The second check they claim got lost in the mail. The third check they sent me, was only for one week and it bounced. Finally they mailed me the 6 weeks they owed me. So when my check bounced and I guess I got fired, because I did not show up for work on the day the bank informed the check was no good. Just could not work another day for free. Now as of this date and repeated request, they have not paid me my final paycheck or the the amount they deducted for the so called collision savings account.
Never got an apology for the bounced check or an offer to pay me the extra money my bank charged me for the bad check.
As for the minimum wage problem, I will do this in a separate post and show you how you may be getting shorted on your paycheck for the minimum wage due you.
Meanwhile, I would like to hear anyones comments on their experience with anything at Midwest Valet.
I set this up so you can comment annonymously and I will not edit your comments, so you can say what ever you like.
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