'I was still surprised not to see my pay bump': Young barista gets cafe shut down after learning their work was underpaying them

Author image for Remy Millisky
Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Feb 6, 2024 3:00 PM EST

The owner of this coffee shop is in for a surprise. They somehow decided to run a business without doing some pretty basic research on how to pay their employees. 

As a teenager, getting your first job can be a joy. You suddenly have some walking-around money, or driving-around money, since you now have enough cash to fill your tank and drive your friends around. It might only be a few hundred dollars per month, but since you're working for the first time, you don't know any better. Many states allow kids to start working at age 16. At that age, these kids barely know anything about how a workplace is supposed to function, and like this OP, they can be taken advantage of by their bosses. Not to mention that a teen has probably never done their own taxes before, so they might not even know that their bosses are skimming their money. At least the owner of this cafe had to pay for their dishonesty! If only all bad management could learn a lesson this way. 

Check out this story, then read about one CEO who caused several employees to quit on the spot after he declared, "Only I know how to run this company."

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  • 01
    'Minimum wage is discretionary'
    via Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash
  • 02
    Minimum wage is discretionary M OC Disclaimer: This story may qualify as Pro Revenge but I feel my hand in it was MC. My first part-time job was in a cafe, starting when I was 16. As jobs go, it was pretty good. It was minimum wage of course but the owner was flexible with schedules, we got discounted food and my coworkers were generally lovely people.
    via u/PanthermalUnderwear
  • 03
    The only issue I had occurred when I turned 18. In my country (UK), minimum wage is set at one level for 16-17 years but then rises by around 30% for 18+.
    via u/PanthermalUnderwear
  • 04
    We'd always been paid cash in hand weekly so I knew things were not exactly koshier but when my first pay envelope after my 18th birthday came, I was still surprised not to see my pay bump.
    via u/PanthermalUnderwear
  • 05
    Thinking it was just an oversight, I informed the owner that I hadn't received my pay increase but they waved their hand and said "Oh no, minimum wage is discretionary" in a matter of fact way. I laughed at this and they acted like I was naive and said
    via u/PanthermalUnderwear
  • 06
    "Trust me, it is. I can't pay you any more but you're free to try your luck elsewhere". So that's exactly what I did. My colleague who had also just turned 18 and I had both found a new place paying more than double our current wage within a few weeks.
    via u/PanthermalUnderwear
  • 07
    The only issue was that I was asked to start with only a few days notice, on a weekend I was scheduled to work. I called the owner to let them know I had found a new role and could work my other shifts but not at the weekend and they told me my notice period was two weeks, to which I responded, "Oh no, my notice period is discretionary." They didn't like that and told me not to bother coming back.
    via u/PanthermalUnderwear
  • 08
    That was the last I had heard of them until a few months later when I received a letter informing me the government was investigating them on my behalf for unpaid wages. It turns out a colleague I had enlightened about minimum wage of course not being discretionary had also left and contacted HMRC.
    via u/PanthermalUnderwear
  • 09
    A couple of weeks after, I received my cheque from the owner in the post and I found out that within a few months the cafe had to close and let their staff go because of unpaid taxes.
    via u/PanthermalUnderwear
  • 10
    All because they didn't want to pay us £4 83 per hour. (Edit: I had said £5.80, looked at the wrong figure).
    via u/PanthermalUnderwear
  • 11
    ✪ [deleted] Obviously, minimum wage is a hard rule. I mean, it's in the name. But, at least iin Canada, the two weeks notice is discretionary. It is a good will gesture but can absolutely not be enforced by an employer.
    via u/ [deleted]
  • 12
    Giving plenty notice is a great way to leave on good terms (it's generally a good idea not to burn bridges) but, by law, you can quit and leave at any moment.
    via u/ [deleted]
  • 13
    PotatoesPancakes. Paying in cash was a huge red flag so I wasn't surprised where it went. I'm just surprised they weren't reported before then.
    via u/PotatoesPancakes
  • 14
    Tagsix If your business model relies on exploiting your employees to make a profit, that business shouldn't be in business.
    via u/Tagsix
  • 15
    taxdude1966 Minimum wage is discretionary - you can always pay more.
    via u/taxdude1966
  • 16
    MLXIII "But I need another yacht!" -CEO making 1000x minimum wage
    via u/MLXIII
  • 17
    Gaius Julius Caesar7 · Did a "trial shift" at a place years back offering £5 an hour. I pointed out I was 21 and entitled to more. Manager said, "it's untaxed so it's OK". Newsflash, it wasn't OK. I walked out and looked elsewhere.
    via u/Gaius Julius Caesar7
  • 18
    My dad became a manager at the same place some time later and proudly told me they paid the proper minimum wage now. He wasn't thrilled when I pointed out that is literally the bare minimum!
    via u/Gaius Julius Caesar7
  • 19
    thylocene06 Lol the government is all too happy to let you know that taxes are most definitely NOT discretionary
    via u/thylocene06

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coffee shop coworkers dining bosses boss coffee job jobs food service work workplace workplace-stories barista
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