[jkcasbar]

My 19 year old daughter is away at school in Chicago. She got a part time job at a talent agency which paid $10 an hr plus they promised to pay her transportation costs. She walks for about an hour and then takes a train from Chicago to Highland Park. Her 1st paycheck bounced. It took weeks to get replaced. Then her boss took her out of dinner and made improper advances. She had to physically deter him. There were witnesses. Now she has been going to work all month and he will not pay the transportation and says she can only work for commission now. She rented an apartment near campus because her employer promised that she would make enough for rent etc. Now he will not pay her and told her she had no sales. But he does not let her see any sales records, and the telephone number she has to give the clients is her bosses, not hers. I suggested going to the labor board about this. She is expected to answer the phone and do clerical work but only be paid commission. She has signed no documents stating she is "self employed'. The boss made the other women sign documents that they would not file sexual harassment suits against him. We cannot afford an attorney. This is a real hardship for our family. Meanwhile she is seeking other employment. Please advise. She is a bright and gifted student, determined and self motivated. I believe she is being taken advantage of.

[progunr]

Without an attorney, this would be a difficult case to fight on your own.

He very well may be in violation, however, without legal council, I doubt you will get very far in getting the labor board to do anything.

The real key is that she has no obligation to continue to work for the creep, and can leave at anytime.

The sexual harassment is another topic, and is taken very seriously now days, if she wants to file a formal complaint on that charge, I say go for it.

[Fr_Chuck]

Well sorry but what in the world did she think and still worked for them after the first check bounced, Did not 1000 bells and whistles start going off. Most of the places called "talaent agencies" are fly by night places and she may find herself owed 1000's and they just close and change phone numbers.

Then after he made advances, she still worked.

Time to face some reality and change jobs.

Next as for as collection, does she have all of the terms in writing, if not she hs little of a case. If she does have it in writing, she sues them in small claims court

[twinkiedooter]

Have her leave that job immediately. Either she is truly naïve or you are naïve to think that this guy is on the up and up. $10 jobs sound good if you get paid to work there. Going to college does not necessarily mean that she has common sense. I've met a few college kids who don't have any common sense whatsoever. She needs to work through a temp agency if possible. At least she would be getting a paycheck for work performed as temp agencies don't send workers to jobs where the company has bad credit ratings, etc. She needs to be more street savvy and get a job closer to where she lives. Sorry that she was taken advantage of, but if anything it's a good lesson for her not to be so trusting of people in the future. Modeling agencies and talent agencies are notoriously fly by night operations. Sorry.