I am a former employee of this company and have major issues with the way their workers are treated. I was a staff accountant without a CPA license from 1/08 through 7/09. During tax season, I (along with a few other workers similarily employed) worked 6 or 7 days per week, averaging 70 75 hours per week. We were paid $455 a week, before taxes, and were classified as Exempt employees. I always had a gut feeling that we were not exempt from overtime but tried to be a nice person and not say anything. When my pay started getting docked for things like doctors appointments, only working a half day, etc, I got extremely upset and ended up quitting. It was absolutely outrageous to me that I could work my ass off for them, sometimes more than 80 hours per week, and get paid the same salary as I would have made during a 40 hour week yet have my pay reduced for working less than 40 hours. That is illegal, any way you look at it. A former coworker of mine turned Leslie in to the Department of Labor and the business was subsequently audited. I have learned from a US DoL investigator that they were found to be in violation of several labor laws, that staff accountants who were unlicensed as CPAs were not exempt from overtime and that back wages are due to myself and several coworkers. The investigator also told me that she has not been able to resolve the case administratively and that it has been passed up the chain for further action. The Dept of Labor may initiate a lawsuit on our behalf or we may have to retain our own attorneys. The case is still playing out so I do not have any resolution yet. But rest assured, I will get everything that is due to me in fair time. Leslie and her husband always talk about their Christianity and love of the Lord. However, I think they are acting decidedly un-Christianlike by not paying us our back wages right now. They were sanctioned by the US Department of Labor, advised they were dead wrong about their overtime policies and know good and damn well that we are owed back wages yet they refuse to do the right and just thing without dragging all of this through the court system. I have been in contact with my states Attorney General this week and have also requested the help of Governor Nixon and Sen. Claire McCaskill, a relative of mine. I have also met with a local attorney who specializes in employment law and have been told that there is no way Leslie will get away with this.in all fairness, the quality of the services performed by this firm always seemed to be decent while I worked there. There were a few tax returns that were fouled up pretty badly but that is bound to happen every now and then. The working environment was horrible, though. I would arrive in the morning, nobody would say hello or even bother to look up and acknowledge my presence and then I would spend the day at a desk being dead silent most of the time. Nobody ever laughed or joked around and the CPAs were very quick to talk badly about people behind their backs. I would arrive in the morning and nobody would say hello or even look up and acknowledge my presence. I would then spend all day at my desk being dead silent because nobody ever spoke or laughed or joked around at all. I was surrounded by negativity virtually all of the time. I had to laugh at the previous comment about the people being nerdy little jerks. There are 2 CPAs there that immediately came to mind when I read that! There are pictures of all of their staff members on their website if you dont believe me, just take a look! There was a part-time CPA named Keith who was wonderful, though. I think he is smarter than all of them put together. It has been a tremendous relief to be out of that environment. I am also relieved that this company will not be able to abuse employment laws any longer. It will most likely take some time but I am also looking forward to a nice check with 2 years of back wages that is coming to me. It has been a tremendous relief to be out of that environment. I am also relieved that this company will not be able to abuse employment laws any longer. I am sure they are pissing and moaning to their church friends about how devastating it will be for them to not be able to salary all of their employees during tax season but I truly hope that nobody feels any sympathy for them. I feel that they willfully exploited and took advantage of us. And it will most likely take some time but I am also looking forward to a nice check with 2 years of back wages that is coming to me.
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