Loyalist students relate to alleged wage ripoff

By Kevin Martindale

Some students at Loyalist College sympathize with 68 former summer lifeguards, whose boss was charged last week with failing to pay them.
One Loyalist student is especially empathetic, because while working for a private pool company, she also was also ripped off.
“I’m not surprised, because a lot of companies do that and especially with lifeguards you’re dealing with young kids who really don’t have a lot of experience in the workforce.”
Peter Check, a 62-year old from Acton, was charged last Thursday under the Employment Standards Act with six counts of failing to comply with orders to pay his former employees. The unpaid wages span two years, from 2007 to 2008, and total almost $64,000.
A June 2009 investigation by the Toronto Star revealed Check would change the name of his pool supply company each summer, leaving students with empty pockets.
The article also revealed that prior to charging laying the charges, the ministry was only able to get about $3,000 from Check, or about four cents of every dollar.
One Loyalist’ student who’s all too familiar with the risk of working for a private pool company part time, is Jenson, enrolled in second-year Environmental Sciences, and experienced this treatment first hand.
She spent two months of her summer in high school lifeguarding for a private company in Ottawa.
“It’s the worst company to work for as a lifeguard. It’s horrible. It was run by one head guy, and I almost went to the employee board but it was only a two month job during the summer when I was in high school, so I didn’t really bother, and I just left, I had another job anyways.”
She still vividly remembers her last day there.
“Because they didn’t want to give me my last paycheck and I think they were running out of money, they fired me for going swimming in the pool when no one was in the area, on what was 40 degrees that day,” she said.
Jenson says a major problem is private companies are regulated as strictly as municipal run pools, and found out first hand during her interview process.
“There was less paperwork, compared to a city pool. I just had to tell them regular employment information, they just had to see that we had our bronze cross, they didn’t even care that we had our full lifeguarding certification. I don’t think they even checked if our first aid and CPR was up to date either. They assume that you have it when have that, but it can expire, yet your lifeguarding license is still valid,” she said.
Another student thought that more funding for jobs for summer students is the answer.
““I think the government should fund jobs more and fund people no matter what age they are, “ says Kim Stapely a public relations student.
“The government would help by funding the job, that way the employer would have more money, and less issues.”
According to its’ website, Ontario’s current program offers employers an extra two dollars an hour wage subsidy for students aged 15 to 24, and are planning on returning to school in the fall.
Two first-year architecture students, however, believe knowledge and being vocal about unfair job conditions, is key.
“The employment standard act is fine the way it is, its just people have to be more aware of what it says, and that they have rights,” stressed Rob Chase.
“A lot of people don’t know, especially teenagers, don’t realize that they have rights.”
Shane William agrees.
“People need to start taking responsibility for their own actions and the actions of others, because if you don’t say anything, then nothing will get done. Sitting around and complaining to people have nothing to do with it is going to be useless and is useless.”
As for Peter Check, the twice-bankrupt man will make a court appearance in Brampton on June 8th.