Mom And Daughter Earn “Rock Stars” Title After Their Malicious Compliance Leaves Casino Speechless
Getting fired sucks. I’m sure many people who were fired at least once in their lives have fantasized about sticking it to their boss as they’re leaving. Many of us have to make do with these fantasies, as we seldom get to have the last laugh. But not these women.
This mother-daughter duo took the opportunity to let their management know how they felt just as they were exiting their workplace – a casino. The official policy demanded all employees return their uniforms to get their final checks. Deciding they wanted their check there and then, the two women stripped down to their underwear and strutted out of the casino with their checks in hand. As one person in the comments pointed out, “Not all heroes wear clothes.”
Two women worked for a casino that decided to lay off workers after a 90-day trial period so they wouldn’t have to cover their insurance
Image credits: Pavel Danilyuk / pexels (not the actual photo)
When the time came to get their last check and return their uniforms, they chose to maliciously comply and quit in style
Image credits: FabrikaPhoto / envatoelements (not the actual photo)
An employer withholding the final paycheck might be illegal in some cases
Image credits: August de Richelieu / pexels (not the actual photo)
The mother-daughter duo in this story certainly handled their lay-off with style. But was the casino’s demand to return the uniforms to get final paychecks lawful? The Society for Human Resource Management writes that an employer cannot actually do that.
They claim that withholding pay from a fired employee would be unlawful, as they should receive their final salary on the day they regularly do. “The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) mandates that wages are due on the next regular payday for the covered pay period, and several states have clear provisions when an employee must receive payment upon termination,” the association claims. “There are no exceptions related to unreturned equipment, therefore pay cannot be withheld past these requirements.”
If an employee doesn’t return their uniform (or any other equipment that belongs to the employer) in time, the employer might deduct the value of that item from the employee’s final paycheck. And that depends heavily on the situation and state wage deduction laws.
However, the U.S. Department of Labor advises employers not to do this if the employee is exempt from minimum wage and overtime pay requirements. “It is our opinion that such deductions or reimbursements would violate the salary basis requirements of FLSA,” they write in their opinion letter FLSA2006-7.
Depending on state laws, some employers might be able to withhold pay if such a condition is stated in the employment contract. In cases where the company property is more valuable than a uniform (e.g., computer, vehicle), the employer might choose to file a lawsuit and get it back that way.
Many employers abuse the trial period and use employees as disposable
Image credits: Nicola Barts / pexels (not the actual photo)
In theory, a trial period (90 days, in this case) is there so the employer and the employee can see if it’s the right fit. Usually, the probation period is from 3 to 6 months after an employee starts working. These 90 days or more are usually a trial run so the company can see how the worker fits in with their colleagues and supervisors and whether they will be able to do the job long-term.
In the U.S., the usual practice is that after the trial period, the employee gets their health insurance and 401k plan. There are other protections that workers get even before their trial run ends. The law protects employees from harassment and discrimination, meaning that an employee can’t fire a worker because of their sex, gender, religion, or race.
Unfortunately, what the employer in this story did isn’t illegal per se — just unethical. The practice of firing people before their trial period ends is, sadly, a practice that some employers abuse. New Zealand’s Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment reports that thousands of people get fired as employers take advantage of unfair trial periods.
The president of the Council of Trade Unions in NZ, Richard Wagstaff, calls for this practice to end. He claims that companies that do this view their workers as disposable. “That’s not how to treat people. Good employers don’t tend to use the trial period anyway,” he told NZ Herald.
“We think it’s the unscrupulous employers who abuse the trials. The research results are quite alarming — so many people are being sacked within their trial period without cause or a process of natural justice.”
Human resource consulting agency JSR Services writes that, unfortunately, employers can dismiss employees before or during their probation period for any reason. However, there’s a catch: if they violate a law in doing so, there might be grounds for a lawsuit. An employee might sue if they feel their termination was due to discrimination or an act of harassment.
Image credits: Affectionate_Damage7
People applauded the mother-daughter duo for sticking it to the management
Why the hell is insurance connected to a job? In normal countries one of these scenarios are standard: 1. You pay a % of your salary every month. No job? Government = tax payers pay for you. (e.g. Germany). 2. Everybody pays the same amount every month, no matter your salary. No job? Government = tax payers pay for you (e.g. the Netherlands). 1 & 2: No opt out, everybody is obliged to have health and care insurance and pay for it. Next to nobody is abusing it. 3. Tax-free Expat: You may choose if you join one of the very expensive international operating insurances or one of the local companies.
Because....Murica.... They even still have literal cheques that people have to cash in. Haven't seen that here in the almost 40 years I'm alive
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My brothers very first job tried to pull the same thing with firing all new-hires towards the end of their probationary period. He was fired on the day before would have qualified, but was glad to move on. About a year later he was chased down after several calls by a DFEH caseworker wanting to interview him regarding potential constructive termination. Seems they were going after companies finding inaccurate reasons to fire employees to skirt labor laws & to not have to adhere to ACA. They were found to be in violation nearly every instance & they were also embezzling workers comp contributions. They filed bankruptcy after the hefty fines & were forced to reinstate each employee or offer them severance package. I think it was around $12k + 3-6 months of benefits. It was a lot of money for a kid. They eventually went under when they couldn’t manage their bankruptcy reorganization.
Great story management dies. Would love to see that movie.
Load More Replies... How can Americans even read stories about this sort of thing without feeling ashamed of being part of a system that allows such shïtty employment practices? Not to mention the complete lack of cohesive a health-care 'system'. Imagin having to work in a job for 18 months before you can afford to go see your doctor!
Why the downvote? "Probation period" before being insured? In Europe health insurance is mandatory for everybody. You even cannot work without insurance, because if you get injured during work, this needs to be solved and is fully paid by the insurance, and only afterwards it will be sorted out who owes whom some money
Load More Replies...
Why the hell is insurance connected to a job? In normal countries one of these scenarios are standard: 1. You pay a % of your salary every month. No job? Government = tax payers pay for you. (e.g. Germany). 2. Everybody pays the same amount every month, no matter your salary. No job? Government = tax payers pay for you (e.g. the Netherlands). 1 & 2: No opt out, everybody is obliged to have health and care insurance and pay for it. Next to nobody is abusing it. 3. Tax-free Expat: You may choose if you join one of the very expensive international operating insurances or one of the local companies.
Because....Murica.... They even still have literal cheques that people have to cash in. Haven't seen that here in the almost 40 years I'm alive
Load More Replies... My brothers very first job tried to pull the same thing with firing all new-hires towards the end of their probationary period. He was fired on the day before would have qualified, but was glad to move on. About a year later he was chased down after several calls by a DFEH caseworker wanting to interview him regarding potential constructive termination. Seems they were going after companies finding inaccurate reasons to fire employees to skirt labor laws & to not have to adhere to ACA. They were found to be in violation nearly every instance & they were also embezzling workers comp contributions. They filed bankruptcy after the hefty fines & were forced to reinstate each employee or offer them severance package. I think it was around $12k + 3-6 months of benefits. It was a lot of money for a kid. They eventually went under when they couldn’t manage their bankruptcy reorganization.
Great story management dies. Would love to see that movie.
Load More Replies... How can Americans even read stories about this sort of thing without feeling ashamed of being part of a system that allows such shïtty employment practices? Not to mention the complete lack of cohesive a health-care 'system'. Imagin having to work in a job for 18 months before you can afford to go see your doctor!
Why the downvote? "Probation period" before being insured? In Europe health insurance is mandatory for everybody. You even cannot work without insurance, because if you get injured during work, this needs to be solved and is fully paid by the insurance, and only afterwards it will be sorted out who owes whom some money
Load More Replies...
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