Long story short, I took a temporary job in north Carolina. I was told the pay was 30hr + 13.50hr fringe pay +95 per diem. After accepting the job and filing out the usual job paperwork, he decided to send me to a Texas job instead. He said they needed the people more than the NC job and agreed to give me $30 hr. The first day, as soon as I arrive to the job site, even before I start doing any work, the foreman who hired me tells me there is no Fringe pay then leads me into the connex and points at a triangle with the number 31 inside and ask me to tell him what it is was without looking at the key. I told him I would have to look at the key to tell him what it is. He then said I don't have enough experience and he is going to drop my pay to $26 /hr. Like has anyone ever experienced anything like this? Never have I had such a thing happen. I mean to read prints do I need to memorize every single emblem and drawing? I have never had an issue with reading blue prints. If it's something I'm working on I just look at the key to determine what it is and carry on. I have 6 years experience, mostly commercial new construction and a few remodel jobs. I've never been fired from a job and have been offered permanent positions on numerous occasions. I find it to be a load of bs that he can doc my pay based on his 1 question test to determine my experience on top of being lied to about the Fringe pay. It just seems so wrong to me. I drove 13 hours to get here for an agreement we already made. I did not lie whatsoever about what I can do and my experience. Would appreciate any suggestions or thoughts on this matter. Thanks
Has anyone ever experience a foreman like this?
- Thread starter RiverChad
- Start date
jaggedben
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern California
- Occupation
- Solar and Energy Storage Installer
Yeah that's BS. Just quit if you can.
zbang
Senior Member
- Location
- Roughly 5346 miles from Earls Court
Bait and switch for jobs. Get out and send them an invoice for the travel.
Thanks for the reply Ben. Indeed that is what it seems to be. I will probably quit after a few more days just so I can pay for my hotel.
zbang
Senior Member
- Location
- Roughly 5346 miles from Earls Court
BTW, the quoting i #4 is messed up, I didn't say the second part.
Replying to that anyway- you went to a place and they changed the specs after you got there, doesn't matter if they're "legally" required to pay, send them an invoice anyway.
Replying to that anyway- you went to a place and they changed the specs after you got there, doesn't matter if they're "legally" required to pay, send them an invoice anyway.
AC\DC
Senior Member
- Location
- Florence,Oregon,Lane
- Occupation
- EC
What was 31?
TwoBlocked
Senior Member
- Location
- Bradford County, PA
- Occupation
- Industrial Electrician
I would guess it was a revision number notation. Regardless, my advice is "Run, Forest, Run!"
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
I would run away from this foreman. He sounds like a clown. When you accept a job do you get the job offer in writing?
Buck Parrish
Senior Member
- Location
- NC & IN
What part of Texas? That's a big state.
petersonra
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern illinois
- Occupation
- engineer
I would want the particulars of a new job in writing, pay, benefits, per diem. Whatever.
hbiss
EC, Westchester, New York NEC: 2014
- Location
- Hawthorne, New York NEC: 2014
- Occupation
- EC
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
I agree, although not required by law you can certainly ask for everything to be spelled out in a formal offer letter before you accept the position.
I had guys that knew very little about drawing symbols but were some of the best at running large rigid, some that could read the most detailed control schematics but couldn't run EMT, some that were neat freaks and could go into any sterile area of a hospital but couldn't pull wire, yet they were all as valuable as the others. One of the best traits of a competent foreman or supervisor is the ability to find who excels at what.
JMHO
JMHO
Jaxelectric5
Member
- Location
- New England
- Occupation
- Electrical contractor
I have a temp job in Portland Maine I will put you on tomorrow at 45/hr. Ends in Dec. Let's gooooooo 
(not kidding btw)
(not kidding btw)TwistLock
Member
- Location
- California
- Occupation
- Electrician
To know what your rights are contact local labor dept in both states. Just knowing a few things, letting employer know you know the law, can quickly resolve things if they're worried you might spread this knowledge.
david
Senior Member
- Location
- Pennsylvania
Labor laws can't enforce what an employer has promised you. Once an employer actually pays you, you can have a wage dispute if he dosnt pay you.
What you have is a contract dispute. If your not being paid your value you should move on after you find an employer that will.
zbang
Senior Member
- Location
- Roughly 5346 miles from Earls Court
Perhaps I'm being dense (happens a lot), but for the life of me I can't find anything that says what a triangle containing a 31 would mean other than a data jack with a wire number (31). Maybe the foreman was looking for "data jack"? Even so, unless you've been doing LV cabling I wouldn't expect someone to know that off the bat. Still a jerk move by the foreman.
JoeStillman
Senior Member
- Location
- West Chester, PA
Depends on if the 31 was inside or outside the triangle. Either way, it's an absurdly high number. If it's the revision number, the 20/20 hindsight reply would be "We're in change order territory and you can afford to pay me whatever I ask."