Can your employer refuse to pay you for services in which you provided?

Question

I am employed at a gym and train clients for an hourly rate determined by the gym in which they label on payroll as commission. I recently took on clients of a weight loss challenge in which they give us tickets when we train them that are dated and signed each time we train them. They get three training sessions a week and turn in a coupon signed each time. Then at the end of each week we turn them in so they can be sent to payroll. I am brand new at this job and thought the coupons were to be turned in according to our payroll. I was off by one day so a days worth of coupons were turned in the following week. Can my employer refuse to pay me for hours worked because my coupons were accidently turned in late? Is it legal under any circumstances not to get paid for hours worked? They are basically telling me too bad. The clients have already paid for their sessions, I trained them and now they don't want to pay me my commission. It is 12 hours of training......

Answer 1

that sucks, i think you should talk to a supervisor and get it straightened out. Im sure they would let one slip for new employees

Answer 2

You worked hard, and probably deserve the money. When you were learning about the process, did they say that you had to turn them in on time? If they didn't, they are obligated to pay you.

Answer 3

If you can't work it out with management at the gym then get yourself a sleazebag lawyer and sue the c**p out of them!

Answer 4

You must get your due. Where are you? In Hong Kong? Gym cheat everyone there - clients, customers, staff, instructors...

Answer 5

The have to pay you for hours worked, they are allowed to pay you on the next scheduled check run if its within 2 weeks (they don't have to print you a special check).  Talk to your Payroll Manager, Human Resources Manager or Accounting Manager or ask your direct supervisor to look into this for you.  Now - its in your best interest to be apologetic about turning in the coupons late, accepting responsibility that your not getting paid on time...  You don't want them to pay you and then look for a reason to fire you so be professional about it.  If they do fire you, keep the proof that you worked without being paid and file a complaint with the Board of Labor.  Its generally not a great idea to file a complaint while you work there but they can't fire you directly for doing so (but they probably won't enjoy you working there and if you are late or make other infractions of policy, they will probably hold it against you after filing a complaint when ordinarily they may have overlooked it).  

You should be swiping in if there is a time clock to justify your time, see if anyone else working those days can substantiate that you were in fact there those days and you were working.

Answer 6

The only way an Employer can legally refuse to compensate you for your work is if it's not part of your job description, it's above and beyond your job description without prior approval or if you violated terms/conditions.  Good luck.. .

Answer 7

no there suppose to pay you but sometimes they get away with it and its hard to get someone to help you without going to a lawyer which we know is a lot of money