What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Wisconsin
I am employed at a Wisconsin newspaper that is run by a parent company other than Gannett.
When I was hired in 2007, I signed what was called a "Guaranteed Wage Agreement" that laid out the hourly rate the company would pay me along with the number of hours they would pay me for (45). If I worked more than 45 hours, they would pay me 1.5x normal, and if I worked from 0-45 hours they would pay me for 45. Of course, I almost always ended up working 40 or more, but that's besides the point.
Anyway, I was told last May that I was going to be getting a raise that amounted to close to 10% of my salary. Months passed without hearing anything (when I checked on a bi-weekly basis, they told me it was still an administrative thing), before I finally found out in Sept. that the budgets had been frozen.
Not good, but I soldiered on. Then, in December, the company announced it was making a six percent companywide paycut. I was not happy about this, obviously, but knowing the current job market, I went along and signed the new "Guaranteed Wage Agreement" reflecting the 6% less pay.
Now, on Tuesday, the company announced another 4% companywide cut. This time, I decided it was the last straw. I told my editor that I wasn't going to sign it Tuesday night, then the managing editor Wednesday.
I asked the managing editor, "So, if I don't sign this, you have to fire me? Is that how this works?" The response was, essentially, most likely after a series of warnings to sign the agreement, that yes, I would get fired.
I asked if there were any concessions the company could make, and was told me no. Resigned to my fate, I said that I would work out the rest of my days to the fullest of my ability and when the hammer fell, it fell.
When I got to work today (Thursday), I was immediately whisked into the managing editor's office along with my editor. The ME had talked to HR and payroll, and had a different answer for me than I ever expected in a million years: 1. They were not going to fire me; 2. The Guaranteed Wage Agreement was not a contract, and ultimately they didn't care if I signed it or not; 3. They were still going to cut my pay.
I was completely awestruck and taken aback, I barely knew what to say. I'm still shaken by the shock.
I have a few questions:
1) Is it legal for a company to dock your pay like that when there is an agreement in place? My feeling is that just because it's not labeled a "contract" doesn't mean it's not. If it is legal, is that to say that any business could start paying its employees minimum wage at any time?
2) If I quit, will I have just cause and be able to claim unemployment? I'm guessing the earlier pay issues don't matter, but it's basically a 20% hit I've taken in the past year.
Any help and advice is greatly appreciated.
Thanks much.
I am employed at a Wisconsin newspaper that is run by a parent company other than Gannett.
When I was hired in 2007, I signed what was called a "Guaranteed Wage Agreement" that laid out the hourly rate the company would pay me along with the number of hours they would pay me for (45). If I worked more than 45 hours, they would pay me 1.5x normal, and if I worked from 0-45 hours they would pay me for 45. Of course, I almost always ended up working 40 or more, but that's besides the point.
Anyway, I was told last May that I was going to be getting a raise that amounted to close to 10% of my salary. Months passed without hearing anything (when I checked on a bi-weekly basis, they told me it was still an administrative thing), before I finally found out in Sept. that the budgets had been frozen.
Not good, but I soldiered on. Then, in December, the company announced it was making a six percent companywide paycut. I was not happy about this, obviously, but knowing the current job market, I went along and signed the new "Guaranteed Wage Agreement" reflecting the 6% less pay.
Now, on Tuesday, the company announced another 4% companywide cut. This time, I decided it was the last straw. I told my editor that I wasn't going to sign it Tuesday night, then the managing editor Wednesday.
I asked the managing editor, "So, if I don't sign this, you have to fire me? Is that how this works?" The response was, essentially, most likely after a series of warnings to sign the agreement, that yes, I would get fired.
I asked if there were any concessions the company could make, and was told me no. Resigned to my fate, I said that I would work out the rest of my days to the fullest of my ability and when the hammer fell, it fell.
When I got to work today (Thursday), I was immediately whisked into the managing editor's office along with my editor. The ME had talked to HR and payroll, and had a different answer for me than I ever expected in a million years: 1. They were not going to fire me; 2. The Guaranteed Wage Agreement was not a contract, and ultimately they didn't care if I signed it or not; 3. They were still going to cut my pay.
I was completely awestruck and taken aback, I barely knew what to say. I'm still shaken by the shock.
I have a few questions:
1) Is it legal for a company to dock your pay like that when there is an agreement in place? My feeling is that just because it's not labeled a "contract" doesn't mean it's not. If it is legal, is that to say that any business could start paying its employees minimum wage at any time?
2) If I quit, will I have just cause and be able to claim unemployment? I'm guessing the earlier pay issues don't matter, but it's basically a 20% hit I've taken in the past year.
Any help and advice is greatly appreciated.
Thanks much.