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bittersweet93 · Feb 22, 2012, 12:59 PM

Hi I'm very upset with a jewelry company I was working for. It's a stand in a mall, like a little stand that sells jewelry. Well, they promised that if I worked without pay as training, I would get the job. So I worked 14 hours without pay and did great. I sold jewelry on my first day.

Now that I finished my 14 hours, it's time for me to get a schedule to work. They're ignoring me, not wanting to hire me but were okay with me working for free. I'm very mad and feel used because it was a total waste of time. And I feel like people should know the truth about the real "jewelry" being sold there.

Is it legal for me to tell me the truth? Like, can I tell them that the sales people tell customers that they are buying real gold which they are NOT? They tell them they are buying real silver which they are NOT. They are charging 4 times as much as the worth of the merchandise! It's crazy. But I want to call them out on it. I want people to stop buying because they scam people.

ALSO, they wanted to pay me in cash which is wrong, right ? Because what about taxes?

I want to write on a website that I was training there for 3 days and share experience in lying to customers because that's what they wanted. I want to share that they are unfair and that they are scam artists. I want to tell people that the employees told me I HAVE to be a liar to work there. I want to do a no-holds-barred expose' when it comes to this.

Now the question is, can I do that? Like on a website like Yelp? I don't want to get into legal problems but just want people to know. Please give me any type of feedback that can possible help me. Thank you

bittersweet93 · Feb 26, 2012, 08:35 AM

Hi I'm very upset with jewelry company I was working for. It's a stand in a mall like a little stand that sells jewelry. Well they promised that if I worked without pay as training. I would get the job. So I worked 14hrs without pay I did great. I sold jewelry on my first day. Now that I finished my 14hrs its time for me to get a schedule to work. There ignoring me, there not wanting to hire me but was OK with me working for free.
I'm very mad and I feel used and it was a total waste of time.
Well I feel like people should know the truth about the real "jewelry" being sold there.
It is legal for me to tell me the truth? Like can I tell them that the sales people tell customers that they are buying real gold which they are NOT. They tell them there buying real silver which they are NOT. They are charging 4 times as much as the worth of the merchandise! Its crazy. But I want to call them out on it. I want people to stop buying them cause they scam people. ALSO they wanted to pay me in cash which is wrong right ? Cause what about taxes. I want to write on a website that I was training there for 3 days and share with them my experience in lying to customer because that's what they wanted. I want to share with them that they are unfair and that they are scam artists. I want to tell people that the employees told me I HAVE to be a liar to work there. I want to do a no hold bar when it comes to this. Now the question is can I do that? Like on a website like yelp? I don't want to get in legal problems I just want people to know.
I also worked a whole day with them and texted the boss asking him when he's going to pay me and no answer what can I do about that
Please give me any type of feedback that can possible help me.
Thank you

odinn7 · Feb 26, 2012, 08:52 AM

I have no legal advice for you but I found your post to be somewhat amusing.

You wanted to work there and are upset that they didn't hire you. Now, because you weren't hired, you want to tell the world how they lie and cheat people. The way I read this, you would have been OK with lying and cheating people as long as they actually hired you. Now since they didn't, you have sprouted morals and want to tell everyone of the injustice.

Fr_Chuck · Feb 26, 2012, 09:15 AM

Yes, the minute you found they lied to people, you should have quit. But you file a complaint against them with the Department of Labor. File for pay for the hours you worked.
If they pay commission, they will have to pay you commission on what you sold, if they pay by the hour they will have to pay you hourly.

I am sure they "train" 100s of people a year to get free labor.

Can you tell everyone these things, yes, can they sue you yes of course they can sue you.
So what proof do you have, if you can no document everything you say in evidence that will be accepted by court, you will lose if they sue you.

bittersweet93 · Feb 27, 2012, 05:38 PM

1st of ALL I talked to several people contemplating whether to work there after knowing everything I know. I felt horrible knowing I was lying. I was still looking or a job but at the end of the day there are bills to be paid. So don't give me that b.s that just cause they didn't hire me crap. & if you don't have an answer best just keep it moving.
Thank you FR_CHUCK for your advice BUT I never signed an application nor a confidentiality form like I have at other places or of any type or signatures. They don't even know my social, my address nor my full name, does that change things?

odinn7 · Feb 27, 2012, 06:00 PM

Aw, did I upset you?

I still stand by what I said because it looks to me like you are only doing this to get revenge on them for not hiring you.

Fr_Chuck · Feb 27, 2012, 06:27 PM

No, so they don't ask that info, ( OK bells of all sorts should have been going off) but you can still file for pay for the work you did. And I would personally, what is the worst thing that can happen, they can say you don't get it,

AK lawyer · Feb 27, 2012, 07:14 PM

Originally Posted by bittersweet93

...
Now the question is, can I do that? Like on a website like Yelp? ...

Sure. Why not? Are you concerned that they might sue you? Truth is a defense to a suit for libel.

But they won't care. What percentage of their walk-by trade reads this "Yelp"? The answer is: a very small and insignificant percentage. I've never heard of it. It won't phase them.

If you want to do something more significant, I suggest that you have them investigated by the state department of labor, the I.R.S. and other agencies.

excon · Feb 28, 2012, 06:45 AM

Hello b:

You can carry a BIG sign outside the mall saying ANYTHING you want. You can write on blogs, pages and web sites...

excon

ScottGem · Feb 28, 2012, 07:18 AM

Sorry, but I agree your hands are not clean here. There were red flags that should have warned you to stay away from this company. And if you try to trash them, you will get tarnished in the backflow.

But, you have real and legal recourse. Report them to the state Dept of Labor, Consumer Affairs, the mall management, etc.

JudyKayTee · Feb 28, 2012, 07:53 AM

If people want to pay more than jewelry is worth, that's the consumer's problem BUT if jewelry is mislabeled, contacted your State's Attorney General. That is a crime.

And, yes, go to Wage and Hour and file a complaint.

I suppose if you have the time and energy you could march around with signs or post something on the Internet but I don't think it will serve any purpose other than to give you some satisfaction. If you post anonymously no one will much care and if you post under your own name it could come "up" if anyone searched for you (and that includes prospective employers).