Fast food worker quits without notice, manager tries to get away with paying minimum wage for his final paycheck: 'The pay is still void because there was no two week notice'

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Jun 7, 2024 4:00 PM EDT

Let this story serve as a friendly reminder that giving two weeks is a courtesy, not a requirement. If you do end up quitting without giving two weeks, that does not mean you are relinquishing any other prior rights as an employee. To translate to this specific scenario, your boss cannot dock your final pay because of your choice to quit on the spot. 

In this instance, we have a fast food employee who used to work at a very well-known establishment famous for its donuts (if you catch our drift). He quit after one shift and had to initially sign an illegal contract allowing his manager to pay him minimum wage if he decided not to give two weeks' notice. 

Here's the truth of the matter, though: an illegal contract is null and void regardless of whether or not the employee signed it at a certain point in time. He's entitled to his normal pay no matter what. Keep scrolling below for the full exchange of messages between the former fast food worker and his toxic manager. 

For more stories like this, check out this post about a Karen who came into conflict with her neighborhood's HOA.

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  • 01
    Fast food restaurant lies about my hired wage ($11/hr) and changes paycheck's wage from $10/hr to $7.25/hr due to me quitting without a two weeks notice. Other illegal activities below
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  • 02
    la nager ме..... 9:14 AM Good morning! I hope you're doing well. I recently remembered signing a paper stating that quitting w/o a 2 wks notice means retroactively lowering our wages to the minimum wage. I understand that I only worked one shift, however, I will still be expecting $11/hr for the time I worked as this is illegal under both Georgia & federal labor law Q
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  • 03
    Мо I sent that too early but I would go. the labor board if it isn't $11/hr. This is just a heads up. Thanks in advance!! Read 9:16 AM
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  • 04
    9:22 AM Manager You were hired at 10 an hour, but you did sign the form stating that this would be the case if you did not give a two week notice. So your original pay is now void because of this. If you were not comfortable with this term, you did not have to move forward with this job.
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  • 05

    For context: here is the employee and manager's initial correspondence!

    く Manager 4:48 PM Thanks for the response! I was hoping the range on the job listing was accurate. Glassdoor puts the average Dunkin crew pay at $12/hr in GA. Is there any wiggle room? 12:58 PM Tuesday, April 18 Hi! Hope your day is going well. I'm just following up.
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  • 06
    Hey, im sorry. Im out of town at training. I know the listing stated that range, but that included bakers and decorators as well. You don't have any coffee/ management experience, so the best i could do is 11 right now. 1:01 PM
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  • 07
    1:12 PM Ty for finding the time to respond! I actually do have barista/coffee experience from Panera Bread! They have espresso based drinks like lattes as well as drip coffee, cold brew, etc. I was trained to use the espresso machine, coffee grinder, steamer, and regularly made both. Same with blended drink View all > Well, that's awesome you have that experience! My shift leads
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  • 08

    And here's what happened when the employee re-shared that exchange with their manager!

    ле 448 PM GA Is there any wiggle room Tuesday, April 18 Hi Hope your day is going well. I'm 12:58 PM just following up Hey, im sorry. Im out of town at training. I know the listing stated that range, but that included bakers and decorators as well. You don't have any coffee/management experience, so the best i could do is 11 right now 1:12 PM 1:01PM Ty for finding the time to respond! I actually do have barista/coffee experience from Panera Bread! They have espresso based drinks like lattes as w
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  • 09

    Here is a copy of the contract!

    QUICK REFERENCE POLICIES 1. You must be at work on time. If you are going to be absent or late, you must call in yourself at least 2 hour before your shift begins, emergency situations considered. Having others call in for you is not acceptable. 2. You must be in uniform and be neat and clean. Uniforms are black/dark jeans, Dunkin tee shirt, cap, belt, nametag and non-skid shoes. See your manager on duty for ordering details. You will not be allowed to work in wrinkled or dirty garments or incom
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  • 10
    This fast food restaurant, known for its donuts, also: • requires hours of unpaid online training, meant to be completed as "homework" ⚫ threatens termination for discussing wages
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  • 11
    Thankfully, I left very quickly as I had been interviewing and got accepted to a job that paid much higher soon after starting here. Most of my coworkers were college & high school students, though. I'm tired of being exploited for being young. Rent in this area is $1k for a 1 bedroom, yet jobs barely want to pay you over $10/hr or give you full time. Love being in the rural south!
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  • 12
    ResurgentClusterf ☐ 20 hr. ago They cannot retroactively change your pay rate for hours already worked They can, absent a contract, lower it for hours you are scheduled but haven't worked
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  • 13
    Range Money2012 21 hr. ago Tell your Local Dept. of Labor
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  • 14
    Dunkin Donuts_throw OP . 21 hr. ago I meant to include it in the OP. I will be, but my hopes are very low because of my friends' experiences with their jobs withholding their last paychecks. I'm in Georgia. Our DOL is terrible.
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  • 15
    R boy237 19 hr. ago Him changing what "best I can do" means is genuinely hilarious
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  • 16
    Swimming-Location569. 19 hr. ago "Your pay rate is confidential" how about that part
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  • 17
    Jediatric 19 hr. ago . edited 19 hr. ago Also, them telling you your rate is confidential is a violation of federal rights you have to freely and openly discuss your wages. It is a classic oppression tactic to keep wages low. That alone makes the whole contract null and void. So bring that up as well with Labor.
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  • 18
    kristopherwithak 19 hr. ago Just because you signed their bs stating that your wage would change without a prior notice does not mean that document is legal or enforceable.
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  • 19
    Jonny_Fairbanks 19 hr. ago The inability to talk about wages is illegal too. Nice of them to put that on paper.
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  • 20
    Infernalism 21 hr. ago Life lesson: Next time, work your last full pay period, then call off sick until you get your last paycheck, then quit officially.
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  • 21
    Mad-_-Doctor 19 hr. ago It's insane how many people think that signing something means that laws no longer apply. Worse, a lot of people seem to think that business policies override existing laws.
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Tags

customer service donuts toxic-manager toxic-workplace manager server satisfying quitting story toxic-boss reddit thread Reddit fast food quitting toxic-work-environment
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