Interesting situation

[mRx 16]

Hey,

My FIL owns his own electronics store, and he had a customer come in who has a daughter in NY who was feeling depressed. My FIL didn't know how far WA was from NY, so he gave this woman our # number, to give to her daughter.

Well today we get a call from this girl. Aparantly she is on a worker visa through an agency. She works as Best Western in Albany, NY as a maid. She doesn't earn a salary, and she works 12-13hr days, earning about $3.50 per room cleaned. Since she is on a contract, she cannot quit, or else she will have no plane ticket to come home. She is treated really poorly, and I feel really bad for this girl. The agency really duped her. My wife says she is from a very poor town. This girl is terrified, and actually called us from a bedroom in the Motel.

Surely something about this is illegal. Isn't it mandatory to pay minimum wage in the US? What can be done about this?

It's pretty sad that some of our own are preying on those who still think fondly of us "Americans".

[Heracles 417]

Which goes to show the proposed work visas are a bunch of BS. It is all about exploiting people and short-changing Americans..

Edited April 25, 2008 by Boo-Yah!

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Poor girl. Hope she can get some legal counsel. Same thing happens with these girls who get pulled into the sex trade.

[Ban Hammer 13,644]

Hey,

My FIL owns his own electronics store, and he had a customer come in who has a daughter in NY who was feeling depressed. My FIL didn't know how far WA was from NY, so he gave this woman our # number, to give to her daughter.

Well today we get a call from this girl. Aparantly she is on a worker visa through an agency. She works as Best Western in Albany, NY as a maid. She doesn't earn a salary, and she works 12-13hr days, earning about $3.50 per room cleaned. Since she is on a contract, she cannot quit, or else she will have no plane ticket to come home. She is treated really poorly, and I feel really bad for this girl. The agency really duped her. My wife says she is from a very poor town. This girl is terrified, and actually called us from a bedroom in the Motel.

Surely something about this is illegal. Isn't it mandatory to pay minimum wage in the US? What can be done about this?

It's pretty sad that some of our own are preying on those who still think fondly of us "Americans".

i'm wondering if they have her hired as an independent contractor. i do find it difficult to believe she can't quit and not have a way home, as the agency would be at fault for not sending her home.

edited to fix boneheaded typing error.

Edited April 25, 2008 by charlesandnessa

[William33 110]

According to the Department of Labor, you must pay at least minimum wage in this country, along with other taxes and benefits.

I find it hard to believe that an employment agency can circumvent US Labor laws under the guise of a "contract".

But who knows.....

[wowswift 3]

But if they're giving her a place to stay and food, then there is a cut in what they actually get to take home. I don't know what it is in NY but it can obviously be found somewhere.

[rebeccajo 14]

I'm trying to figure out what kind of 'visa' she's on to be a maid in a hotel - unless it's a J cultural exchange. She's not highly skilled. Did they bring her on aupair and now she's being 'used' for something else?

What does the girl want? Does she want to go home?

[GaryC 7]

I'm trying to figure out what kind of 'visa' she's on to be a maid in a hotel - unless it's a J cultural exchange. She's not highly skilled. Did they bring her on aupair and now she's being 'used' for something else?

What does the girl want? Does she want to go home?

It kind of sounds like it. If she wants to go home she could quit her job and present herself to ICE and say she is out of status. They will provide her a ticket home when they deport her.

[Marilyn. 340]

I'm trying to figure out what kind of 'visa' she's on to be a maid in a hotel - unless it's a J cultural exchange. She's not highly skilled. Did they bring her on aupair and now she's being 'used' for something else?

What does the girl want? Does she want to go home?

It kind of sounds like it. If she wants to go home she could quit her job and present herself to ICE and say she is out of status. They will provide her a ticket home when they deport her.

umm, yeah that would be smart.... not

[peejay 327]

According to the Department of Labor, you must pay at least minimum wage in this country, along with other taxes and benefits.

I find it hard to believe that an employment agency can circumvent US Labor laws under the guise of a "contract".

But who knows.....

Unfortunately people get some sort of false impression that the US government is omnipotent. Nothing can be further than the truth. These so called guest worker programs are poorly run, exploitive, and there is little or no oversight. It's nothing more than government pandering to the greedy business interests' insatiable thirst for cheap foreign labor.

It's a self fulfilling prophesy. Jobs Americans won't do? Not at those sh*t wages and working conditions! If there was really a worker shortage...wages would rise. Look what's really happening. Wages are falling with the flood of cheap foreign labor (legal and illegal).

Wake up to the lies. These same sleazy people are clamoring to significantly raise what caps there already are on these so called guestworker visas. This even as the media and politicians are painting a picture of gloom, doom, recession, and job losses in the USA. It's totally disgusting.

[✿Ice Rain✿ 0]

$3.50 per cleaned room? , i am wondering how many rooms she clean everyday. I wonder also if the girl is a visa holder, or an illegal immigrant who is scared to speak about her situation.

[rebeccajo 14]

I'm trying to figure out what kind of 'visa' she's on to be a maid in a hotel - unless it's a J cultural exchange. She's not highly skilled. Did they bring her on aupair and now she's being 'used' for something else?

What does the girl want? Does she want to go home?

It kind of sounds like it. If she wants to go home she could quit her job and present herself to ICE and say she is out of status. They will provide her a ticket home when they deport her.

If the program is being 'abused' then yes she could report them and they would aid her in returning home. But I hardly think it'd be a deportation. The 'offending' Americans would be the ones in the hot seat.

[*JG* 2]

I think we may not be getting the full story.

First of all at $3.50 per room (according to her), she may fall under the minimum wage category. We don't know how many rooms she is expected to clean in an hour. My guess is more then one.

Then, we don't know what exactly her contract stipulates.....is food, accomodations, transportation, etc. included or taken out of the pay?

Treatment of someone is subjective. Pershaps there are language or cultural differences that are being misunderstood here.

Lastly, does she even understand her contract? Lots of immigrants even on K-1's or K-3's don't completely understand their rights. I find it hard to believe she is not able to quit and leave whenever she likes.

[mRx 16]

Becca, I am not sure exactly what type of visa she is here on, but my wife says she will ask exactly what visa she has, if she calls us again. From what I gather it is a 3-month worker visa.

I think we may not be getting the full story.

First of all at $3.50 per room (according to her), she may fall under the minimum wage category. We don't know how many rooms she is expected to clean in an hour. My guess is more then one.

Then, we don't know what exactly her contract stipulates.....is food, accomodations, transportation, etc. included or taken out of the pay?

Treatment of someone is subjective. Pershaps there are language or cultural differences that are being misunderstood here.

Lastly, does she even understand her contract? Lots of immigrants even on K-1's or K-3's don't completely understand their rights. I find it hard to believe she is not able to quit and leave whenever she likes.

I know I don't have too many details, but I was actually more concerned of how this motel was violating labor laws and exploiting foreigners. She said her boss had given her 15 rooms to clean per day, and that it took roughly 13 hours for her to do it. At 3.50 per room, this is significantly under minimum wage, not to mention the 5 hours overtime.

I am wondering if she is even authorized to work. It's obvious she has been deceived through these "recruiters" that brought her here.

If we get to speak with her again, I will find out more info.

[Flames9_RN 358]

$3.50 a room,may not be under min wage. How many rooms can she do an hour? They are normally pretty quick!! I would say at least 3 an hour, which would be above min wage!! NOT saying she isnt being treated fairly, they prob are treating her very poor, and taking advantage of her.