Posted on 11/26/2008 9:31:54 AM PST by HollyButler
When Amitay Samayoa quit a cleaning job in September, he thought he was going to work for a landscaping company that paid more money. The 17-year-old, who’d dropped out of school to work, needed the extra cash for his parents in Mexico.
But after working for a month without pay, Mr. Samayoa said he is owed close to $1,200.
Although they are in the country illegally, Mr. Samayoa and four of his co-workers who also worked without pay — some for a week, others for a couple of months — decided to contact a lawyer. They claim the owners of the landscaping company owe them about $7,000 in back wages.
Mr. Samayoa’s case is not that uncommon, local organizations and law enforcement officials say. Some employers feel they can get away with not paying illegal immigrants because, after all, what can such workers do? Fear of deportation keeps them away from the police or the courts, a sticking point some employers exploit.
Chattanooga Police Department Officer Harold Diaz, who called Mr. Samayoa’s former employer about the wages owed, said he has received two complaints in the past couple of months about 12 Hispanic workers not getting paid at two separate companies. He’s sure there are many more cases he doesn’t hear about, he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at timesfreepress.com ...
How long before they figure out they can game the system, and get together and accuse an employer of this when they never even worked there?
These guys shouls be paid by their illegal employer.
Then they should be shipped HOME.
Oh, and they should be charged for the transportation costs back to Mexico!
I wonder how much of that 1200. they’d get if they actually had to pay taxes on it? Zero sounds fair to me if they are utilizing public services.
I wonder how much of that 1200. they’d get if they actually had to pay taxes on it? Zero sounds fair to me if they are utilizing public services.
The employer should pay a heavy fine for hiring illegals and forced to pay the employees. That would put a quick end to the problem.
You’re right.
Assuming they ACTUALLY worked for the company.
If as they say they ‘didn’t get paid’. Then chances are there is no ‘paper trail’ to prove they did or didn’t.
I smell a ‘scam’.
The Employer needs to pay. But the Employer should’ve thought about why they “hired” them in the first place.
The only thing worse than illegals are the scum who employ them especially those who try to cheat them out of money. Send them back and arrest the people who are cheating them.
ping
Truly, there is no honor among thieves.
probably pretty easy to prove they worked there. If the employer employed illegals then they deserve to be scammed. Deport them and jail the scammers.
Many times the employers are illegals or recent immigrants especially in all the mortgage scams. A LARGE percentage of the mtg scams were illeals.
Mr. Samayoa said he is owed close to $1,200/It’s better to be owed than get screwed out of if you go home now.
1) Prove you worked and are owed payment for that labor.
2) Prove you are a legal resident of the US.
If you are owed payment, the employer must pay.
However, if you are in the country illegally, you will be sent back to your own country and the trip should be paid for with your newly-acquired wages. Additionally, if your former employer had knowledge of your illegal status prior to hiring you, he should be fined for breaking US employment laws.
Exactly right. The whole “no paper trail” scenario does lend itself to any and every possible chaos. Look at the time of public servants (ok, I know, that’s a quaint term) which would have to be spent in field work interviewing customers of the business to try to get some reliable evidence thatthese people actuall did work for the company. I’d come down on the side where it can’t be said “beyond a reasonable doubt” that the alleged employer did commit the crime, ut that there’s “prima facie” proof that the employees DID commit the crime of being here illegally. That the least worst of two choices, I know, but the only one that makes sense to me.
Amitay Samayoa and the others only thought they were "working" for this 'Landscaping Company'. When in fact they had signed up for Outdoor Exercise & Fitness Classes and really owe money for the dues they never paid.
“...needed the extra cash for his parents in Mexico...”
...so they could also enter the US illegally....
(what he didn’t say)
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