please answer this question for me

[rainingcats&dogs]

when i owned my own place and had an employee,i never expected them to sit there and wait for appts to call,if it was dead i gave them a choice to either go home,or wait
now that i work for someone else,she expects us to show up for work and wait and see if anyone calls,we only get paid commission,so no dogs no pay,its really frustrating,so shop owners please tell me what you do in this situation
thanks

[plushpuppy]

No dogs, no stay. If she insists that you stay she needs to pay you and hourly rate are you an independent contractor. If you are she can not make you stay.

[ManicMutts]

Not so much legal

You need to make at least minimum wage for all hours you work. I know it's not really what you are looking for, but at least it is something. I would keep track of the hours that you work by week, as a start. The DOL does not consider Commission pay as an exemption from the Minimum Wage Law.

Have you tried to speak to your boss about this? I am hourly plus a smaller commission per dog I groom, and when I was corporate grooming, I had a base rate I was paid if i did not commission out over it. Before that, I was just hourly. I have never been straight commission, but if it is that slow I would imagine she would understand that she can't REQUIRE you to stay there for nothing. Are you being told to stay a full shift, or just an hour or two to see if the phone starts ringing?

Anyway, if you speak to her about this, and she thinks that you should just sit there for free, I would be looking for somewhere else to work and documenting my hours.

That is a horrible situation to be in, I'm sorry.

[rainingcats&dogs]

no im not ic,but dont feel its right for me to stay if no pets to work on,and i dont feel its right for me to stay and hope the phone rings

[SiberianLover]

My old boss used to pay one of us an extra 10 to stay and close up, letting out the dogs and stuff. It usually ended up being an extra hour of time, so that worked.

I've had my bather come in early for a dog that didn't show. Gave her the option of doing whatever she wanted on her own time and come back when I need her, or stay and find things to do here and get paid. And as we all know, there are plenty of things to do in the shop. But, if you don't have a dog again until 11 and she came in at 8 for a no show, she ahs the option to go home until 11, or go run errands for herself, or work and get paid even though there is no dog.

I won't pay someone to stand around waiting and not working. If you want money from me, start folding towels, cleaning kennels, writing out reminder cards, etc. Stand there and talk?No pay.

[kdickerson]

ugh i sorta have this problem right now too- boss does not want to turn down any dogs under any circumstance. Poor girl that is "under" me on the seniority list waits too. Sometimes I say "screw it, I have homework" and leave, figuring there is no way that the all the groomers, plus the one below me could possibly fill up. I got a talkin' to about it, even though I no that no dogs were refused, and if any call too late to come in, they can get in the next day.

I also feel like it's expected that if I'm gonna be there waiting I should be doing laundry or cleaning. I'm fine with cleaning, and we all need to do our part, but I'm not cool with cleaning for a few hours while I wait around, and not getting paid at all.

my dear bf says I need to grow some and speak up. I got fired from a grooming job (over bs reasons, not my fault) and now I'm sooooo scared of making waves of any kind.

Let me know what happens if/when you speak up about it

[RPS]

As a salon owner ( this one & a few previous business' too) I can tell you that I try very hard to work with my groomers. I know what being an owner is like as well as working for others. I preferred to get paid on commission rather than hourly. I found hourly.. never failed, Id get stuck with all the goof ball dogs, super matted dogs, all the ones the owner didnt want to do. Plus I also worked in one place (very briefly mind you) paid hourly... I saw people drag out a groom.. milking pay out of the owner/salon.. sheesh.

If I have anyone come in for an interview, first thing I ask is how many dogs are you comfortable doing? next I ask what breeds do you prefer & what breeds do you really dislike.. I mean if you are afraid of a breed... why would anyone give it to you? dogs are smarter than most people (IMHO) and they know if you are afraid or even if you dont like them!

If I am booking enough dogs for each groomer, my groomers are happy, dogs are happy.. Im happy! If a client calls in for some reason & needs to cancel, I usually have a waiting list but if I dont... you are free to go!

Bottom line for me is this... I am a groomer, we chose to open 'this' salon with the understanding that Ive been doing this for a very very long time... I know what is comfortable for me.. if I want Respect from my groomers & staff I need to make it known I RESPECT them! your time is money if you are working, if you are not... you may have other things you really need to do.. if I ask to much, then you will resent me and as an owner.. I cant feel 'we' are a team if either one of us is not truthful... period!

[D'tails]

To be fair she needs to be paying you a minimum hourly wage for time spent waiting. That time should be spent cleaning, answering phones or doing other tasks since you would be getting paid for it.

[4Sibes]

I made a little poem for you raining.....I hope it helps. (eeeee...big grin...eeeee)

Dear Boss....

As much as we love you,
and that is clear to see,
you very much remind us,
nothing in life is FREE..... Pony up.

We wait by YOUR phone,
we wish it would ring,
chins on our fists....
the grooms it might bring.... Ching-Ching.

I know that you think
that we are just joking...
but in 10 minutes...
we WILLLLL take up smoking..... Indoors.

We don't ask for much,
just cut us a "break",
if you can not pay us..,
that's just what we'll take......Permanently.

So answer your own phone,
or send to voicemail....
our chins are all bruised up,
and they hurts like hail...........Owwwwwie!

There's always the option...
of hiring another...
to pick up the phones...
hows 'bout your Mother?........Hail Nooooooo!

[baddog]

pre-book, pre-book, pre-book and you'll never have this problem

[GroomStar]

Funny

Nice poem! Made me laugh!

Sorry your boss is being inconsiderate Raining!

[stewiedog]

I work commision only. Some days I stay to chit chat and wait for the phone to ring, but that is my choice. My boss never makes me. Usually I stay becaus eit is y husbands ay off so he is home with the kids, or my aunt has the babysitting, and I want to visit with adults.

If you check with your labor board you should find out that you are intitled to min. wage. Commision or not that is the min you get paid. If you don't do enough dogs to break over that amount, she still has to pay you the amount, that is equal to the hours you worked at min. wage. I knoe here that is like 7.50 an hour. I would sit around for afew hours if I was made to just to make a cpl dollars.
But You don't HAVE to. Call the labor baord in your area and ask, or let them know what you are being made to do. It might cause a hostli envrionment, but stand up for yourself.

[scullysmom]

She may not realize it, but she can forward her calls from the shop to a cell phone or home phone. I think it is a minimal charge if anything. If she does that, there is no reason for you to sit around (which I think is wrong anyhow). She may not know this is an option. I would broach the subject and state that you totally understand times are tough, forwarding the phone would help never miss a call, and booking would be smoother. See if that helps.

[Grinch]

no im not ic,but dont feel its right for me to stay if no pets to work on,and i dont feel its right for me to stay and hope the phone rings

I agree with everyone else. You need to make at least min. wage. And if the phone rings they can be booked the next day or the next avail. appt so you know you actually have dogs that day.

[TawnyKitty]

my groomer gets commission or minimun wage which ever is better. She punches in and out everyday. At the end of the week before tips I figure out which is better Even if she does stay for me her commission always works out better.
I have a friend who works in a high end spa She has to stay weither she has work or not. She can only leave if her last appointment doesn't get booked just in case someone calls.
I for the most part let my groomers leave, but there are days I need to leave early and they stay. thats when I use the hourly.