Update 2/18/2014 Was just in the news!!!
Don’t Get Mad, Get Creative: One Rhode Islander’s Response to the Boss Refusing to Pay Him
Faced with the loss of his job and his former employer’s refusal to hand over his last paycheck, enterprising Rhode Islander Jason Montello has come up with a creative solution to make his grievances known—by putting them online in the form of a catchy song on YouTube.
A person who not only loses their job but then discovers that their former employer is withholding their outstanding wages can feel like they’re in a nightmare and unable to wake up. Faced with the prospect of long-drawn out legal battles and—in some troubling cases—threats in response to their protests, the sense of helplessness as they wonder where to turn is all too real.
Jason Montello knows this real-life nightmare first hand. He tells his story:“I worked for Patrick Integlia at All Seasons Heating and Air in 2013. I fixed his office equipment and I also built him an amazing website.” Things went sour after the company fired Jason from his job and refused to send him his final paycheck.
The song,“A Funny Song about Rhode Island”[http://youtu.be/_V40ja bbsl8] was written by Jason in collaboration with a friend who also sings it on the YouTube video and has already racked up almost 2000 hits. It tells of how Jason’s employer failed to pay $2181.80 that he was owed for working for them. As the song’s chorus puts it:“When a guy works for your company, the least you can do is pay him.”
Jason has also created a website and Facebook page in which he provides updates on his situation. However, as he points out, he is concerned not just to raise awareness of his own situation, but also to alert people to unethical practices perpetrated by some companies in the HVAC industry, such as using cheap parts on HVAC units and charging for name brand fittings. He says:“I want to also be a voice to make people aware of the need to check the parts that companies put on your HVAC unit.”
Jason says he hopes he and his former employer can resolve the issue without the need for legal action, but adds that may not be possible if the dispute has not been settled within a year. Despite the hardship and stress the experience has caused him, he is determined not to become bitter as a result. He says:“I will still keep my sense of humor and I spread this message with laughter rather than hate.”
Johnston Rhode Island