The Cellar - View Single Post

SamIam · 03-15-2011, 10:17 PM

OK, so I work part time at "Bill's Motel," a mom and pop type outfit. Carmen is the manager and my immedient boss. I've never met Bill, the owner, but apparently he's an older guy who likes to drink and chase the ladies. Whatever.

The motel is open form 8am - 10pm, 24/7, 365 days a year. Someone needs to be at the front desk the entire time the motel is open - 14 hours every day. I'm one of two front desk clerks besides Carmen. We get paid minimum wage. However, Carmen lives at the motel. Her compensation is $75.00/day, a free 2 bedroom apartment, and free utilities, cable, etc. Carmen gets no sick leave, paid or otherwise. Her only benefit is one week paid vacation a year. Whatever else Bill may be, "generous" is not one of his attributes.

About a month ago, Carmen became very ill and was in the hospital for a week, Me and the other gal, Judy, filled in for her and were paid our usual minimum wage with no overtime, although we both worked more than 40 hours that week. Carmen took her hospital stay as her "vacation."

Now, the local doctors are telling Carmen that she is going to have to go see a specialist for a complicated surgical procedure. Not only is Carmen suffering from narrowing of the arteries, but she may have cancer. It is possible she could have a stroke on the operating table and die right there. No fun at all. She has to go to a branch of the Mayo Clinic down in Scottsdale, Arizona for the procedure.

Needless to say, Judy and I will be filling in for her and working 14 hour days. Carmen only wants to pay us $75.00/day - what she would normally get. Only Judy and I both go home at the end of the day and no one foots OUR rent and utilities. After taxes, we'll be lucky to bring home $60.00/day or $4.40/hour!

I like Carmen quite a bit. She has a very kind heart and is incredibly patient when I make a mistake, and I made a lot when I was learning the job. I really want to help her out, but this is ridiculous! Carmen says Bill won't want to pay all that extra on the motel payroll while she is out. I think Carmen is worried that she might lose her job to someone younger and healthier and I can certainly sympathize with her.

But not Bill.

So he'd have to put out $200 extra dollars a week for a week or two. If that's going to tip him over the edge, he's going down, anyway. And if he really wanted to save money, he could stop his practice of allowing our Navajo "guests" to trade cheap jewelry for a room. We have tons of jewelry we've gotten that way, and are lucky to sell one or two items a month for maybe 15 bucks. If Bill was really hurting, he'd stop people from getting 3 nights ($120.00) for a $10.00 bracelet.

Should I talk to Bill in private (go behind Carmen's back) and request that we at least be paid minimum wage for the days we have to fill in? Should I say nothing and work for nothing?

Jobs are scarcer than hen's teeth right now in Cortez, and small though it is, I really need my paycheck. But this has me pissed off big time.

03-15-2011, 10:17 PM	#1
SamIam Registered User Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Not here Posts: 2,655	$75 for a 14 hour day? OK, so I work part time at "Bill's Motel," a mom and pop type outfit. Carmen is the manager and my immedient boss. I've never met Bill, the owner, but apparently he's an older guy who likes to drink and chase the ladies. Whatever. The motel is open form 8am - 10pm, 24/7, 365 days a year. Someone needs to be at the front desk the entire time the motel is open - 14 hours every day. I'm one of two front desk clerks besides Carmen. We get paid minimum wage. However, Carmen lives at the motel. Her compensation is $75.00/day, a free 2 bedroom apartment, and free utilities, cable, etc. Carmen gets no sick leave, paid or otherwise. Her only benefit is one week paid vacation a year. Whatever else Bill may be, "generous" is not one of his attributes. About a month ago, Carmen became very ill and was in the hospital for a week, Me and the other gal, Judy, filled in for her and were paid our usual minimum wage with no overtime, although we both worked more than 40 hours that week. Carmen took her hospital stay as her "vacation." Now, the local doctors are telling Carmen that she is going to have to go see a specialist for a complicated surgical procedure. Not only is Carmen suffering from narrowing of the arteries, but she may have cancer. It is possible she could have a stroke on the operating table and die right there. No fun at all. She has to go to a branch of the Mayo Clinic down in Scottsdale, Arizona for the procedure. Needless to say, Judy and I will be filling in for her and working 14 hour days. Carmen only wants to pay us $75.00/day - what she would normally get. Only Judy and I both go home at the end of the day and no one foots OUR rent and utilities. After taxes, we'll be lucky to bring home $60.00/day or $4.40/hour! I like Carmen quite a bit. She has a very kind heart and is incredibly patient when I make a mistake, and I made a lot when I was learning the job. I really want to help her out, but this is ridiculous! Carmen says Bill won't want to pay all that extra on the motel payroll while she is out. I think Carmen is worried that she might lose her job to someone younger and healthier and I can certainly sympathize with her. But not Bill. So he'd have to put out $200 extra dollars a week for a week or two. If that's going to tip him over the edge, he's going down, anyway. And if he really wanted to save money, he could stop his practice of allowing our Navajo "guests" to trade cheap jewelry for a room. We have tons of jewelry we've gotten that way, and are lucky to sell one or two items a month for maybe 15 bucks. If Bill was really hurting, he'd stop people from getting 3 nights ($120.00) for a $10.00 bracelet. Should I talk to Bill in private (go behind Carmen's back) and request that we at least be paid minimum wage for the days we have to fill in? Should I say nothing and work for nothing? Jobs are scarcer than hen's teeth right now in Cortez, and small though it is, I really need my paycheck. But this has me pissed off big time.