Imagine two restaurants. Right next to each other. On the same block.
Both serve food and alcohol. Both employ cooks, wait staff and dishwashers.
There is equal foot traffic and signage, and neither restaurant is any worse in any outward way than the other.
But one of their owners seems to be making a lot more money.
The other is keeping the lights on, paying the bills, and making a living. But he isn't flashing big stacks. What gives?
One of them isn't paying his employees even minimum wage. He isn't paying payroll taxes, Social Security contributions, unemployment insurance or workers compensation. He's stealing wages from his employees. Current wages, future benefits, and by failing to pay into the employees' funds, the safety of Social Security.
If someone working for the wage thief gets fired or laid off, and they apply for unemployment insurance, they'll find they were never recorded as employed. They will discover their boss never paid unemployment insurance taxes.
"Sorry, no unemployment benefits for you."
Or pray for good fortune if an employee slices open a finger, or slips down some stairs. No workers compensation for that one. The boss never bothered paying those premiums, either. Better hope no infection sets in.
It happens. All. The. Time. Here is a real life example, a case my clients brought to recover unpaid wages: Hamilton v. Buck's 24-Hour Diner, LP
No comments:
Post a Comment