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Readers of a viral post on the popular Reddit forum "Antiwork" praised a worker for quitting their job once they saw they were being paid a lower wage than what was agreed upon.
"Hired at $21 an hour, first paycheck is $17 rate, I quit on the spot today," read the title of u/TribalHorse88's post, which amassed more than 44,000 votes since it was shared on Tuesday.
In addition to backing u/TribalHorse88's decision to quit the job, some Reddit users encouraged them to file a wage theft complaint.
According to Forbes, wage theft may come in different forms, one of which includes repeatedly getting paid the incorrect wage.
If an employee believes they are not receiving the appropriate wage, John Cataldo, the chief legal officer and president of advisory services for the financial advisory firm Integrated Partners, recommended that they first speak with their employer and keep a record of the meetings.
If the issue is not appropriately addressed, employees can reach out to the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division. Employees also have the option to explore what options they have within their state.
In their post, u/TribalHorse88 said they were hired to work as a lead production operator.
To get the job, they needed to possess several certifications, two years of supervisor experience and experience working in a warehouse with a forklift.
"I have 6 years experience in warehouses/manufacturing, 3.5 years as a machine operator and 2 years as a supervisor and was the 'perfect fit' a 'smart person willing to work weird hours' by their own words," u/TribalHorse88 wrote in their post.
Once they saw their first paycheck, they decided to quit and accept a new job.
"F**k HR lies," u/TribalHorse88 wrote, concluding their post.
In the comments section, u/TribalHorse88 said they walked out during their lunch and did not return.
"Got a call asking where I was and I told him I won't be coming back in due to the pay issue and he went off rambling and I hung up," they wrote.
One of the top comments urged u/TribalHorse88 to file a wage complaint, noting that they are owed the full wage for the period they worked.
Another said they experienced a similar situation at a previous job. While they were hired for a position that was paying $32 per hour, they noticed they were only paid $25 per hour when they looked at their paycheck.
"It always blows my mind these companies will fight tooth and nail to not pay you a couple thousand more a year, yet will waste money and resources hiring/training someone new," a Redditor wrote.
Some, however, wondered if u/TribalHorse88 questioned whether a clerical error had been made with payroll.
"Worst thing is that this would be a very easy mistake to make and would imply absolutely zero malicious intent on the part of the employer," one Redditor commented.
Newsweek reached out to u/TribalHorse88 for comment.
Other Reddit users have taken their frustrations to the "Antiwork" forum.
An applicant said he declined to take a job after he learned he would earn $20,000 less than the agreed-upon starting salary.
Another employee said he decided to quit his job when his bonus was inexplicably cut in half.
One worker shared their shock after learning his boss received an $87,000 raise, while his department did not receive a $1 per hour raise for five years.
About the writer
Catherine Ferris is a Newsweek reporter based in New York. Her focus is reporting for the U.S. Trends Team. She ... Read more