I don't know what day I worked but it was late June early July. My previous job was paying me four dollars an hour under the table so I really needed money. I turned an application into Andrew, and he told me to come in for an interview with Betty the next morning. I already had delivery experience from a previous job, and I knew that I wouldn't need a lot of
training.
The next day I met with Betty Carter and discussed my application as well as my current employer. She acted like she was totally appalled with what they were doing to me at my previous job and she wanted me to work with her company.
As you will see, this was nothing less than a pre meditated fraud commonly performed by Betty Carter, told by so many others who were victimized.
After chatting, we had discussed my job description which consisted of checking all addresses for accuracy and to make sure they're correct, before folding boxes, picking up phone slack, and closing side work. Once I was an employee that all changed, I quickly found myself making and cutting pizza,
seating tables, and serving alcohol because there was no one to serve it. Many times it was underaged Melissa Carter, Betty's daughter who served beer.
I trained for two days and then started on my own. My first night
was slow, but I left with $50 cash so I was pleased. After the first two days on my own I was averaging $70 a night, topping off at over $100 on Friday and Saturday nights.
By this time Betty had gotten in the habit of training her manager to pull drivers off the road to help them inside if they got overwhelmed. A Lot of the time, I fell victim to this due to the extent of my knowledge of the pizza business. I found myself sacrificing tips, and DM R's, so I could help the manager cut and box etc., only to hear the senior drivers gloat over the
tips they were making in my absence.
One Friday night I was scheduled to close and I know I would have made at least a $100, but again I was pulled off the road and stuck cutting, boxing, and topping pizza, arranging deliveries for myself only to be held back from taking them so I could remain inside, and after that, still be expected to do all the driver's closing work.
This is not what I expected and it was certainly not what I was hired for. When I was hired, I was given hopes of making $12, to $20 per hour, and honestly succeeded in doing so one or two times. I was told I would get $1.25 per delivery I made. I had asked Betty, " due to a mistake, what if I have take one twice?" She said I would get an additional $1.25 unless it was my fault for having to return. That was all hype. I never once got paid for having to return to customers homes two or more times because the cooks had forgotten breadsticks, or hot-wings, or completely mixed up all their orders, and when I inquired about them, threats of not maintaining my job were made.
Betty was famous for saying that the store could run on six people; one waiting tables and working the register, one cutting and boxing, 2 on the make-table, and two delivery drivers. Pizza requires so much work it is impossible for even the opener with just six people.
Managers were expected to open the store, mark and proof enough
dough to last through dinner rush, set up the buffet, the make table, pre-sauce and cheese the buffet pizza's and put the dough away. All this was expected to be done by one person by 10:00 - 10:30 am, and have a half an hour to set up the salad bar, and roll silverware for opening. Not counting opening paperwork, cash count, and making sure the register had enough change. One waiter would come in at 10:30 am, and have a half hour to set up
the salad bar and roll silverware for opening.
Pizza Hut policies were not observed. I was never given any written material to review. I did however find it on my own. I found in a rear storage bin in the back employee manuals. I did read them, none of Pizza Huts policies were ever followed. I tried to bring this up to Betty, I received no reponse.
The first cook would usually show up at noon or later, bearing the manager to handle the buffet by himself; cooking, cutting, changing pizza on the buffet every twenty minutes, as well
as answering phones for take out or delivery customers, and being the cashier.
About three weeks into my employment I was closing driver one night and the manager had a family crises and left one hour before close, (11:00 PM). I was asked by Betty to numerous tasks including the dishes, which was not my job, but I was also threatened with my job. She would comment that "I wasn't irreplaceable, many people would fill my position-like that, " as she snapped her fingers. This scenario would happen every week during my four months of work at Pizza Hut, cheating me out of a lot of money.
Having a new born I did as she demanded. But while trying to complete the dishes as well as my own closing side work she would distract me into watching her play a video game to witness her high score. Not wanting to displease her I did just that. Meanwhile my fianc and my newborn waited at home for me to get there, which caused personal problems with my fianc. After completing my work, it was well over 2:00 AM. When I asked Betty to sign my timecard she said "I'm not paying you for all these hours!" I said, " I worked them, I should get paid for them." She said, "I don't pay you to sit around talking to me." I had a very disgusted look on my face and she saw it and said, "I'll pay you, but you'll never close again." I knew that meant problems so I submitted to let her clock me out at midnight, losing two hours. Every time they would pull me off deliveries forcing me to be the cook where I would loose 2 or 3 hours of deliveries loosing the big tips. I would be threatened that I would loose my job if I did not comply. Remember, I was hired as
a delivery driver not a cook, cleaning or maintenance.
Betty often bragged about how much "the Apache Junction Police Department loved and would do anything for her" as well as "I turned down a position in the Chamber of Commerce, " making her look powerful.
The schedule was always being changed around so my schedule was not definite. I feel that she was doing this to try and terminate me, but I was always checking so I had a loophole. The weeks before I was terminated, I was off Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. Monday was payday, so I came in that night when it wasn't busy to get my check, and Betty had the termination
paper already written. When Betty confronted me as to why I wasn't there on Sunday I told her that I was scheduled off.
I had put in a request for Monday and Wednesday nights off because I was court ordered to do a self awareness class. I constantly found myself having to miss class and risk noncompliance as well as possible jail time for fear of keeping my job, and supporting my family.
On several occasions I came into work only to find my time card missing to learn that Betty had or had told someone to throw it away for pathetic reasons. Between this and the schedule change happening so often I was never aware of hour shortages, or if any were present.
In August my car blew its transmission so I was forced to work inside and clean for an inspection. At this time, my turn came and I was positioned for a management position. We discussed the salary as well as the bonuses. I was promised a management bonus if the store was to pass the inspection. As assistant manager I made sure the store got as clean as possible. After experiencing management and hearing expectations, I declined the position. I
was still paid as a manager and carried these responsibilities until the next week. Friday the inspection came and we passed with an 85%. I have not seen or received my bonus although the manager at the time received his. He did not participate in all of the cleaning, when I was. His bonus was $900.
My bonus was $0.00.
I managed two other pizza restaurants and was trained as well as sent to food safety classes, where I was certified in food safety and sanitation. All my suggestions for this company were shrugged off and I was told it could wait for the new store. Being young as I am, I still have morals and I still know wrong when I see it. This is the point when I became fed up with
this franchise, but I still held on to hope that it would only get better in the new store.
Pinal county inspector ignores severe health code violations and betty takes him to lunch
As for the condition of the store, when you actually take a look at it, it's apparent that this store was not kept up. It seems as though it was not cleaned in years. Even if this is denied, I have extensive training in that area of business. There was a 1/4 to inch of brown gooey residue around the floor borders of the entire back of the store, (ignored by the inspector). The walls had some kind of stains on them, like grease that was
molded, (ignored by the inspector). All cooking utensils used for pizza for example, pans and thin pans had food left on them, but were still used after being simply rinsed off. I think I was the only person to clean the dough mixer in months. Snotty spit was found in the front ice bin and was merely scooped out instead of being rained and sanitized. I found roaches in the
cheese on the make table. The roaches were removed, and the cheese was dumped, but the container was not changed or sanitized, and yet this store still passed inspection. Only one dough proofer worked, so a lot of the dough was proofed at room temperature on a dirty counter where flies were constantly getting at it.
While on the cut table I found cockroaches on numerous occasions in boxes on numerous accounts. There was constantly a strong sewage smell full of air born bacteria. The dish washer didn't heat over 70 degrees and two weeks before my departure we fixed the problem temperature. But who knows how long the dishwasher had been substandard and hazardous to health.
In conclusion, this store should have been condemned years ago. To have stayed in operation for so long would have to take some serious connections, and there's no other explanation. I am a witness to how close Betty was to the inspector. I saw them seated in deep conversation before and during the inspection. After the inspection Betty walked the inspector out, and I
believe she went to lunch with him. Betty would even brag how she passed.
Rick Carter eye's always looked like golf balls, he look like he was obviously under the influence of something. There is so much more I could write a book.
I would like to go further and commend all of you, anonymous or not, for coming forward as well. I commend usacomplaints.com for having the guts to take charge and bring not only Pizza Hut, but all businesses who are conducted in this manner, I thank you.
I hope to play a small part if any in this process and I am not afraid. The rest of you shouldn't have to fear either.
Sincerely, Kenneth Liby Jr.
The above letter was signed and delivered by Kenneth Liby Jr.
To a usacomplaints.com volunteer.
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