Labour Laws

[Temporary_User]

There seems to be many threads regarding Labour Laws. None of my specific examples seem to be answered in one of those. I don't really want to derail an existing thread so I'll just start a new one.
MODS: Maybe making a sticky regarding labour laws could be useful. ?

I think alot of people don't understand the labour laws. It really should be taught in school.
Anyways, can a company hold your paycheck while you work there?

Specific example: I worked at a restaurant, and you can order food there for 1/2 off, but they dont take it off your check, you have to pay the hostess. Things get busy so normally people just pay the hostess at the end of their shift.
One day I forgot to pay, but I remembered on my way home, and I decided I would just pay the next day I had just began working there, so I didnt know all the rules just yet.
When I showed up the next day I immediately told one of my bosses that I forgot, and he said it's fine, just pay today. Later that day, a different boss came up to me and informed me that I now half to pay full menu price, + $5 extra. If I dont pay this now, they will hold my paycheck until I do.

What I think this came down to, was the first boss knew i didnt know the rules, and the 2nd one thought I did. Mix up.
I was upset on having to pay double+ for the meal. Can they do that?
and again Ill repeat my original question, can they hold my paycheck if I refused to pay, and quit? I understand now, that they wouldnt be able to deduct the meal from my paycheck.

[Temporary_User]

One other question I have regarding Labour laws, can a company make you purchase a uniform?

[Sylvanfan]

http://www.alrb.gov.ab.ca/employmentstandards.html

Heres the site for employment standards, look around and you might find what you're looking for.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by Temporary_User

and again Ill repeat my original question, can they hold my paycheck if I refused to pay, and quit? I understand now, that they wouldnt be able to deduct the meal from my paycheck.

There's a bit of grey in the holding your paycheque. As I said in the other post, the place that took our meals off our cheques technically held our cheques until we signed the thingy for the meal deductions. However the way they did it was that we sort of were signing for getting our cheques- it was something we all agreed upon.

If they say you have to pay up what you owe them, and you don't, pretty much the only option to get your cheque is to terminate employment; either you or them doing it.

Technically, you did steal from them. I wouldn't call it that if I were your boss because you came back to me as soon as you noticed and admitted it; but technically you did. But if it's worth quitting over- then obviously things aren't so good there after all.

[sadora]

Originally Posted by Temporary_User

One other question I have regarding Labour laws, can a company make you purchase a uniform?

Unfortunately yes.

[normtwofinger]

Can a company get away with no overtime pay and vacation pay? Mine can. It sucks.

[RedHot25]

Norm, what do you do?

[Temporary_User]

Originally Posted by normtwofinger

Can a company get away with no overtime pay and vacation pay? Mine can. It sucks.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think with overtime, they can if you have an agreement with them.
I've had a company who wouldnt pay overtime @ time and a half, but would reword overtime to "backpay" and then put on your check @ your normal hourly wage.


Overall, I don't know if all this is legal or not.
Damn labour laws need to be taught in school.

EDIT: reading what fotze posted, it seems to me what my employer did to me was illigal.

[RedHot25]

In my field/profession, I've never had overtime "paid out" - its always, always time in lieu.

[Ayrahb]

It seems to me that many Alberta employers live in the dark ages. The number of little instances of harassment/inappropriate application of labour laws that employers get away with is incredible.

A quick and somewhat related question: As (mostly ) reasonable people, what do you think is a proper skirt length for an Oil & Gas office in relation to the knee.

[FireFly]

Originally Posted by Ayrahb

It seems to me that many Alberta employers live in the dark ages. The number of little instances of harassment/inappropriate application of labour laws that employers get away with is incredible.

A quick and somewhat related question: As (mostly ) reasonable people, what do you think is a proper skirt length for an Oil & Gas office in relation to the knee.

A skirt should be no higher than the bottom of a woman's fingertips with her arms by her side standing up. Now, that's the general rule... if she's freakishly short-armed, obviously you want it a bit longer... freakishly long-armed, she can go shorter. Generally it should be a handwidth above the top of the knee.