We have received the following serious complaint of employer arbitrariness, which we publish (verbatim) with every reservation.

“My Experience Working at Café du Sol and the Issues I Faced

I worked at Café du Sol for approximately two to three months. During this period, I was working full-time at another job, so I initially came to the café once or twice a week. However, I was interested in working full-time at the café and helping the business become stable and successful.

During my interview, the manager, Anna M., told me that she had bought the café and was the owner. This made me interested in helping the business as much as possible. On several occasions, even on my days off, Anna called me and asked whether I could cover the café for 30 minutes or an hour while she went to pick up her children from the swimming pool. I agreed and helped whenever I could.

I want to be fair and honest: I never personally experienced any rude or abusive behaviour from Anna. However, I gradually became concerned about the way the business was being managed. Sometimes, we did not have certain products available, and on some occasions, we were told without a clear explanation that the café would not open that day.

I asked Anna about my employment contract when I first started working, and I followed up with her again later. I explained that I needed a contract because I had an interview and wanted proper documentation of my employment. I also told her that I liked the work and wanted to continue working at the café. Despite my repeated requests, I was not provided with a written employment contract.

Over time, I began to feel that Anna was not managing the business seriously, and I eventually discovered that she was not the actual owner, despite what she had told me during the interview. This damaged my trust, and I decided to leave the job and look for other employment. The actual owner of the business is a company called GIG INVESTMENTS & MANAGEMENT LTD, and its registered director Artem Latkin.

The most serious issue is that I have not received my outstanding wages. I worked for approximately two months and an additional ten days into the following month. However, I have not been paid for my final month of work and those additional ten days. By my estimations, I am owed around 1700 euro, excluding paid annual leave days, of which I didn’t take any.

Initially, Anna did not respond to my messages. I eventually had to visit the café in person, but when I arrived, I found that it was closed. After repeatedly trying to contact her by phone, she eventually answered and asked me why I was putting pressure on her. I explained that I was simply asking for the wages I had earned.

Anna told me that she would pay me when she sold the café and asked me to wait. It has now been approximately two months, and I am still waiting for my wages without any clear payment date or resolution.

I am also aware of two other employees who have not received their wages. I contacted them and encouraged them to pursue the matter through legal channels, but they told me that they were new and preferred to wait because they were afraid to make a complaint.

The main issues I experienced were:

1. Repeated requests for an employment contract, which was never provided.

2. Unpaid wages for my final month of work and the additional ten days.

3. Poor business management, including occasions when products were unavailable or the café did not open without a clear explanation.

4. A lack of clear communication and failure to respond to my messages about my outstanding wages.

5. Being told to wait until the café was sold before receiving my wages, with no payment made after approximately two months.

6. Concerns that other employees may also have been left without their wages.

I am sharing my experience because I believe workers should receive the wages they have earned and should be treated fairly. I am not trying to create personal problems for anyone. I simply want to receive the money I am legally entitled to for the work I have already completed. I hope that sharing my experience will also help prevent other workers from facing the same situation.”