I, Jessica Lundy, am filing this claim for the reason of un-paid wages and not receiving minimum wage when I was told and signed documents telling me I would be receiving minimum wage of $10.25. I haven’t received my Record of Employment or vacation pay either. It has been almost one month since I last worked for them.
First off, I started working at Fitness One of May 25th, 2010. I did paid training from May 25th-31st at their Head Office (I did 25 hours in total at Fitness One Head Office). I then started at one of their clubs (the Fitness One Dufferin Mall Club) for three days (15 hours in total) for some in club training. I then returned to Fitness One’s Head Office for final testing to complete the training. (Total of 3.5 hours.) They then hired me for full time to work at their Main Street Fitness One Club.
Once entering the Main Street Fitness One Club, some employees informed me of how Fitness One has treated them in the past. The employees told me that they have had their paycheck bounce on them. That sometimes they wait weeks to be paid. Then the MEMBERS of Fitness One who come and sign up to be work-out at the club, were telling me that when they sign up at Fitness One and give Head Office their banking information so their payments can come out of their bank accounts OR come off their credit card ONCE A MONTH are having various different payments come out spontaneously each month, that they are being charged DOUBLE, TRIPLE some times FOUR TIMES what they suppose to be. This was a red flag for me.
I am a student at York University trying to get an education so that I can get a good job to support myself for the rest of my life. I got this job to help support me through the summer while I was out of school until next September. I can’t stress how much I needed a job that actually pays me so I can live and eat.
When I was doing training, Fitness One had PROMISED me my first pay would be on June 20th, 2010. I was told I was going to be getting on that day EVERYTHING they owe me from May 25th- June 20th.
I worked at Fitness One, not missing one shift, getting their on time, DOING EVERYTHING I PROMISED I WOULD DO WHEN THEY HIRED ME. On June 20th, 2010, there was NO CHEQUES FOR ANY EMPLOYEE OF FITNESS ONE. A lot of the employees, including myself, got a hold of the person in pay roll at head office, and my supervisor Kathy. They informed us that the checks would be held another few days because they were “training” a new finance guy, Pierre. Because they had to train him, for some reason the checks couldn’t be given to the employees of Fitness One until June 25th.
So, while we were all waiting to get paid, I was at work one day and a Bailiff came in and informed me with a legal document that Fitness One Head Office owes the landlord of the Main Street location $80, 000 in rent in 5 days or else they would lock the doors and sell all the equipment in the fitness facility.
That was the last day I worked. Not because they had to shut down but because I was literally down to my last $5.00. I had to work on Friday, June 25th. This was the same day the pay-checks were suppose to be arriving at the Main Street Fitness One location so I could get paid. I was supposed to work at 11 am. I called in before I went into my shift to make sure the paychecks would be there. I needed the paychecks to be there because I only had $5.00 to my name left and it would cost me $3.00 to get to work on the TTC and $3.00 to get home. Plus, I needed to eat, since I was literally STARVING myself because I HAD NO MONEY. The lady working at the time told me that some employees at the Main Street Location had received their paychecks, however I was one of those UNLUCKY persons who did not have a check in that day!!!
I told the girl who was working that I need that check to be able to come into work and get home. That I only had $5.00 left and that wasn’t enough to get there and home without having that paycheck. She understood and told me to call Kathy at Head Office and inform her.
I called Kathy; I left her a message explaining what my situation was. I told her I was starving, I told her I had $5.00 left, I told her I need this pay-check to continue to be able to get to work. I called back many times but heard nothing. I waited 4 hours till I called back to the Main Street location because I hadn’t heard anything. The girl working told me that Kathy had told her that the checks would be in later on that night. I told her to call me once they get in. They came in at 10 pm that night. I thought how convienient, all the banks are closed now, Money Mart won’t cash ANY Fitness One checks because they are known to bounce. Fitness One screwed me again. Still without money, still starving. My next shift was supposed to be on Sunday. A girl from Fitness One Main street location told me she might be able to bike (like a 1.5 hour bike ride to my house) to get me my check on Saturday so I could get into work for Sunday. It poured rain on Saturday. She never brought me my check. I had no way to get into Fitness One for my shift on Sunday. But it didn’t even matter because on Sunday Kathy fired me from Fitness One because I didn’t show up for my shift on Friday.
I finally was able to borrow enough money off a friend to get down on Monday to get my check. I get it and open it up. It was only for $237.97. THEY HAD ONLY PAID ME FOR MAY 25TH-31ST!!! IT WAS NOW JUNE 28TH! PLUS, GUESS WHAT, they weren’t even paying me full minimum wage. They were giving me $10.20! I know it’s a 5-cent difference, but think about it. If they are paying ALL of their employees that, they are saving quite a bit of money! WOW THEY ARE CHEAP!
I called them and they informed me I would be getting my ROE, VACATION PAY AND THE REST OF MY PAY buy July 5th (which was suppose to be the next pay period).
It is July 20th now and I have received NOTHING. Last week I had talked to the pay-roll guy he said he was sending me SOME of my pay last Monday. It has been a week and I have received NOTHING. I have warned them that I was going to the Labor Board unless I get my money, NO ONE HAS RETURNED my calls.
I CAN’T STRESS HOW MUCH THIS COMPANY IS SCREWING PEOPLE AROUND. Google them and you will see countless complaints online by members, previous members, and employees. I am sure you have gotten a claim from other employees from Fitness One.
I really need some assistance in getting my money from Fitness One. Like I said, I am a student and I currently have NO money. I’m hungry again and I have rent coming up. I really need this money. I know it is not a lot of money, but when you have waited POOR for weeks, anything can help my situation. Since I thought I was going to be set for the summer with this job, it has really made it hard to live and has made me very depressed.
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