An Illinois professional services firm advertises a $35/hr. position for experienced professionals. But when you interview, the owner tells you that she requires all new hires to work the first month as a trial period, and she pays $1,000 cash at the end of the month--or $6.25/hour.
She boasts that she's not like large firms that don't pay their interns. But she didn't advertise for interns: She advertised for professionals who've had at least one internship and have worked in at least one agency.
She refuses to provide a hire letter or contract outlining the terms of employment. New hires don't complete an application or tax forms.
By her own admission, no one seems to get past the 30-day trial period. There's always some reason why things didn't work out--and there's no record they've ever been there because she pays in cash on their last day.
Since no one has left a paper trail for authorities to trace back to her, I intentionally challenged the practice in an email to the owner, hoping that she would respond to the below-minimum-wage charge in writing. Not only did she admit it, she vehemently defended it!
Is this practice legal? The Illinois Department of Labor says they don't monitor or enforce bait-and-switch situations such as this. They will only allow you to file a formal complaint if you allowed yourself to work for that below-minimum-wage salary.
She boasts that she's not like large firms that don't pay their interns. But she didn't advertise for interns: She advertised for professionals who've had at least one internship and have worked in at least one agency.
She refuses to provide a hire letter or contract outlining the terms of employment. New hires don't complete an application or tax forms.
By her own admission, no one seems to get past the 30-day trial period. There's always some reason why things didn't work out--and there's no record they've ever been there because she pays in cash on their last day.
Since no one has left a paper trail for authorities to trace back to her, I intentionally challenged the practice in an email to the owner, hoping that she would respond to the below-minimum-wage charge in writing. Not only did she admit it, she vehemently defended it!
Is this practice legal? The Illinois Department of Labor says they don't monitor or enforce bait-and-switch situations such as this. They will only allow you to file a formal complaint if you allowed yourself to work for that below-minimum-wage salary.
