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Before I started working at this hotel, the manager called me and told me she really needs somebody to start right away. She stated that she will give me $10/hour, instead of the $9/hour she first offered. I accepted the offer and started work a couple days later. After about two days of training, she tells me that my pay will be $9/hour, and that I should NOT expect a raise anytime soon. On top of that she told me before I started that I would be full time here. Six days later, she tells me she cannot guarantee me full time anymore.

The only reason I started this job was because of the $10/hour and working full time. If she hadn't offered this I wouldn't be here. How is this fair???

Should I call corporate and complain? I tried talking to her about this, she just keeps shutting me down and interrupting. What should I do??

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    what country are you in? If in the US, what state? Labor laws differ in different parts of the country and world.
    – Voxwoman
    May 28, 2015 at 23:39
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    Since you're not working full-time, use the extra time available to you to find a new job.
    – DaveDev
    May 29, 2015 at 5:29
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    As an aside, I would certainly call corporate and tell them they have an unethical manager running their hotel. She made promises (albeit verbal) and is now reversing on them. Find a new job ASAP.
    – Bill Leeper
    May 29, 2015 at 14:06

4 Answers 4

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Here is something to remember for all future employment:

If it's not in writing, it doesn't exist

Anything verbal told to you by a recruiter, HR person, or manager will not hold at all unless it's repeated in written form. Physical letters or contracts are best; email could do in a pinch.

Really the only thing you can do in your current situation is look for another job.

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    Possible exception: if you got the verbal commitment on tape -- and if the tape was made in such a way as to be legally admissible as evidence under whatever laws apply wherever you are. Otherwise, an unsigned contract is not a binding contract... and if you aren't being paid what was agreed to, quit now and then negotiate what it'll take to make you come back. If at all.
    – keshlam
    May 29, 2015 at 0:12
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    And you seriously have to consider whether you'd want to go back to work for someone who is either devious, or absent-minded.
    – Kent A.
    May 29, 2015 at 0:31
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    Now what would the options be if it was in writing? Is the employer not allowed to lower the pay if it's in writing, even if it's at-will employment?
    – user541686
    May 29, 2015 at 8:26
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    Actually this isn't true in a lot of places, for example in the UK employment contract can be verbal and even non-verbal, where doing something for long enough can become your contract. It is good practice however to ask for things in writing especially if they seem too good to be true!
    – Eterm
    May 29, 2015 at 9:33
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    @Eterm Not sure if it's the same way in the UK as in Sweden, where verbal agreements are legally just as valid (in most cases; a few exceptions exist) as written ones. However, you have to be able to show what was agreed upon, which can be a significant problem in the case of verbal-only agreements.
    – user
    May 29, 2015 at 10:44
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I don't really like to say quit or look for another job -- but if you aren't being paid what was agreed to, that is the only thing to do.

The only question I would have in your situation, is do I need the $9 an hour while I look for another job?

Personally I would rather work for someone that paid less and was honest, if you feel the same, keep that in mind when you decide what to do.

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Firstly, consider what you've lost compared with if she'd told the truth in the first place and offered you $9 full time. Did you turn down any other jobs that you'd have taken in preference?

If all you've lost is 6 days job-hunting, for which you've been paid, albeit 10% less than you expected, then this situation isn't all that bad. If the job you would have wanted turns out not to exist, you can just quit any time you like. If you wouldn't have taken the job for $9, then don't keep the job for $9 either.

Having nothing written down cuts both ways, she can hardly expect you to work out your notice. The best time to quit is probably when you've just been paid (because you're working for someone who is trying to cheat you), and/or when you've found another job. So ideally find another job, tell them you can start the day after your next payday, quit without notice once you have the money.

So, that's one option. Now think about what you've lost compared with if the job she described really exists, and you can take a shot at getting that. The way to do that is to go over her head, say that you were offered $10 and a guarantee of full-time work, and that if you don't get that (with back pay and in writing) then you're leaving. If you don't get it, leave, and learn a lesson about written contracts. Give them a very short time frame, you can't let them string you along while they delay.

Since she's the hotel manager, I expect it's pretty unlikely that corporate will do anything, although I don't know the hotel business. They have no evidence that you're telling the truth, they've barely even heard of you since you're a new employee, and even if they give you want you want you've still got to work for someone who you've humiliated. Therefore, it might not even be worth asking. But you never know, maybe you fit a pattern that they're already aware of.

Only if you've suffered substantial loss as a result of the deceit, and you can "prove" the loss and the details of the original offer, does the issue arise of whether this is fair or not. It isn't fair, but the fact that it's unfair doesn't help you unless you have a case to begin with (and maybe not even then, since a lot of things are unfair but legal).

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    ...and maybe Mila does not only fit a pattern they're aware of, but a pattern they tacitly approve or worse... if the labour market is such that there is a large pool of qualified unemployed people, and employees are not unionised, then employers can and do get away with a lot of nasty behaviour.
    – gerrit
    May 29, 2015 at 9:46
  • @gerrit: true. Tbh if there are a lot of candidates then I'm a bit confused what the use is of lying to someone about what they'll be paid. Better to take someone who's happy to work for the $9, than someone who already feels robbed by the time they arrive at work. If I had to guess, the manager thought she was desperate for a quick hire, then realised she wasn't. But it might be an unorthodox negotiating technique, if the theory is that employees will be committed to the job by the end of their 2 days training.
    – Steve Jessop
    May 29, 2015 at 11:09
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    Or perhaps Hanlon's razor applies.
    – gerrit
    May 29, 2015 at 12:58
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Did you try to complain to top authority who is head or director of hotel? I agree with @Voxwoman like you have nothing in written so you can not do anything in this situation.

But you can try to complain to director of hotel , May be they can do something better in this situation. This is only one hope. And Last option is to find another job.

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    It's ethical to report this behaviour to the individual's supervisor anyway, regardless of whether it'll help you out particularly.
    – Lightness Races in Orbit
    Jun 29, 2015 at 19:54
  • yeah.right...:)
    – Helping Hands
    Jun 30, 2015 at 4:22

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