by Sally
(Chicago, Il )
I have worked for a small family owned company for over 3 years now. They recently have ran into a lot of money problems due to their own greediness. First off they have people on payroll that do not even work there. I processed the payroll and it has always made me uncomfortable, one of these people is the president of the company but he does not work there and never has… This very well maybe legal but I have no idea. Another person is a babbies mama of the owners son and she gets a salary plus medical this I know is not right cause she does not work there either. Second he is being sued for over 225K for breaking a union contract with the teamsters, The lawyers bill is 90K as of 03/01 they have not reached a settlement as of yet so what he is going to actually pay is unknown as of now. When I came back to work for him in 2007 he had his son doing payroll manually and taking Federal, State, and Social Security taxes out but they never actually paid the Federal taxes or the social security, Illinois state caught up with him real fast though, and at the time he had sold part of the business so he paid Illinois Rev. back right away, cause they came in and demanded payment. But the business still owes close to 300k for three qtrs of federal taxes. The social security office has not caught up with him yet. After he sold part of the business he opened a few money market accounts and the owner and his wife only have access to those accounts but they are in the companies name, and he uses them for his own personal stuff. Out of almost 1 million he only has like 300k left and he is sitting on it, he wont pay! He laid off all employees but 1 and him and his whole family are still on payroll. I had to deal with the certified letters and all the collection calls on a daily basis. My entire day was filled with putting out fires that he could have easily put out but he sat on the money and evaded his taxes and I know when everything goes down he is going to blame me anyway, I ran everything he literally had no Idea how to run a business he always employed someone to run the show. He does not even know how to turn on a computer. He also drops racist comments on a daily basis not directed at me but about other races in general. He has sexually harrassed me and another employee on a daily basis, even in fun he took it to a physical level. I told his son and his son told me well tell him to stop! There is no one to report him to cause it is a small business. I do not want to sue him. He has hired people to literally strong arm other people. The other employee that was harassed, was laid off. But she said she will be there for my determination interview for unemployment. But as you say we don’t want to rock the boat because we ae scared…. Literally! He also currently has 3 sales reps. that are on unemployment from their previous jobs, And he is paying them cash under the table, But he told me to make the checks out to cash, But when they go to the bank they make them sign the checks so I mean they could get caught right? I don’t want to throw those people under the bus either but my husband has been laid off for 8 months and I need the unemployment desperatley! Turning those people in will not benefit me anyway. I don’t want to ruin anyones life,, But it was a horrible place to work for seriously. I mean he got sued in 2004 for calling an employee the N word, and they paid close to 300k in damages, The ex-employee won. This guy just cannot learn his lesson… He really is crazy, he would always say stuff like if anyone tries to sue me I will F____in knocked their heads off and kill em. There really is so much more to list. He called 15 times since I left there in 2 days finally I called him back and he was screaming at me telling me I was a F— Bitch and that I ruined his life and I was not a woman, I have been trying to quit for the past month and finally I just left because I am mentally to sick to even deal anymore. Is there anything out of all of this that i can use to get unemployment, with out Getting anyone in trouble? I have had to change my cell phone # and everything. I have a phone interview on 3/22 but I can do it in person, so I am going there, and a witness, the other girl, but we where just planning on saying the company had money issues. I am scared… I just want to get unemplyment and never look back. PLEASE HELP!
Sally,
Of course there is something you can use to get unemployment.
1. He sexually harassed you and you have a witness who also experienced the same .. have her write a statement.
2. He has intimidated you and threatened physical harm if you sue him. Considering the phone conversation after you quit .. it should be clear even to the state this guy is someone to be afraid of.
3. He was having you participate in questionable accounting practices and you were worried about being complicit or being blamed when his house of cards come tumbling down.
4. He makes racist statements which you find personally offensive regardless if directed toward you or not .. and he has lost a race discrimination suit already.
You were working under intolerable working conditions, but you’re not any longer. When the state ask why you haven’t made any “official complaints” bring up the fact that you have known him to hire people to strong arm those in his way. Lay it out Sally and get your friend to write a statement for you.
I tell you that you need to talk to a lawyer, clearly, you sound afraid to even do that, but given that when it all comes falling down, he’ll probably still blame you .. I think it is a wise idea to talk to a lawyer not to sue, but to protect yourself.
Comments for Not wanting to work for a crooked employer which is crooked in every kind of way possible.
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