I was hired by D'avanzo Inc Event and Staffing Company to work a promotion for Bellatoria Pizza Superbowl weekend 2009. I worked and was told I would be paid.
The paperwork we signed said that they would "strive" to process payments within 14 - 21 days. When day 21 had come and gone I called to find out where my check was — left a voicemail for Keith. A few days later I got a (mass) email explaining that we were informed at the time of training that we would be paid on a "45 day business pay cycle" — translation: 45 business day pay cycle (Keith is not a clear communicator) — and that our checks would come around April 6th. Neither Keith nor Shannon, his business partner and wife, said any such thing during training. Still I decided to wait out the 45 days.
I then began expecting my check to come around April 6th — I knew it would take time for it to travel in the mail. I then received an email from him around April 10th saying that he had just received payment from the client and would be mailing our checks out the following day. I was obviously disappointed that he hadn't kept to his 45 day promise, but again, I decided to wait.
I did receive payment from him about two weeks after the last email I mentioned. However, the check was well beyond his promised date of pay, short of the full amount and what was worse, he had failed to pay me for the supplies I was forced to purchase during the event. I called and emailed but received no reply.
I was finally reimbursed for the supplies by someone else. I have still not received a reply from Keith about my short paycheck, except that they made vague references here and there (in our email dialogue) about fines for contacting the client directly about payment. I did contact the client directly, but only 1) about reimbursement of supplies and only 2) after Keith failed to respond to my phone call. My paycheck is short by a random dollar amount — it's not a fine — he just made up a dollar amount to pay me.
I saw his rebuttal to someone else's complaint. What a joke! Let's set aside for one moment that the issue he needs to bring is libel, not slander, and allow me to point out one key fact: We all have email proof that he said he'd pay us within 45 business days — he failed to do so. Period. This is absolutely not an issue about pay cycles — it is about non-payment and short payment.
Do not ever work for Keith D'avanzo, Shannon D'avanzo or any of their business associates. They cannot be trusted.
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