I was a victim of Sunrise Employment Agency in Chicago.
I was looking for a job as a caregiver. On March 3, 2004 a lady, I
only know her by the name, Bany, which I suppose is an owner of
Sunrise E. A., called me and said there is a job for me. She said that
the interview is tomorrow, and that she would only accept cash in the
ammount of two weeks salary (1200$) in case I' hired.
I was supposed to be a caregiver for the elderly lady. On March 4 I
was taken to the interwiew... not with the elderly lady, but with her
"grandson" (later it appeared he is not grandson, but just a friend of
the elderly lady). He accepted me to the position (as a caregiver for
the elderly lady). Bany wanted to collect from me a fee immediately
after that, in the parking lot, but I said I want to see the "actual"
lady I'm gonna be working for. She arranged a brief visit, and after
that I gave her 1200$ in cash and we signed the contract (again, in
the parking lot in her car). She would not accept any other payment
method.
The contract stated, that agency is only entitled to 20% of my money
back in case I loose a job without my fauld. And even then after I
fulfil my responsibility of geting the statment from the employer,
that there where no my fault.
I requested the special handwritten statement to be signed on the
bottom of the contract. That stated if I loose the job within 10 days
without my fault, the agency will return the money back in full.
As I understand now, I'd better would insist crossing the line out
where it sais it's my responsibility to provide agency with statment
from the employer there was not me fault. Now I'm sorry we did not do
that.
I was fired on my first day of work, March 6, 2004, without my fault.
(the elderly lady I was taking care of was screaming on me with no
reason all day, and when I requested her not to scream, she announced
that I am fired and ordered me to leave her apartment. In fact, she
was the crasiest person I ever met, and I dont think she is mentaly
OK, even though her condition might be undiagnosed)
To ad to the confusion, the elderly lady was supposed to pay 85$/day,
and her "grandson" to ad 15$/day without her knowing, because the
daily pay in that job was 100.
Upon ordered to leave elderly ladies appartment, I have contacted the
agency immediately, and she promised to return the money beck in two
days. The next day she called me, and said she does not have time to
return the tommorow, and promised to do that in two more days. And
again she used an excuse (she is too busy), and postponed the return
of the money for two more days. Jhat continued for two weaks.
I tried to confront her, saying that she does not nead time, besause I
can come to any location any time to meat with her, but she would
refuse to meat with me any time sooner than after two days, only to
postpone that with another excuse.
After 2 weaks of this, she changed her tactics. Now she started asking
of my address, and claiming she's gonns send me a money order. I gave
her the address, and she called me the next day, saying she already
sent me the money. 3 days has past since with no letter received. I'm
sure it's jush another lie of hers, and that she never sent me the
money.
I'd like to complain not only about me not being able to get my money
back, but I have other concerns:
1. I feel accepting just the cash, but not any other payment method
might not be legal.
2. I feel the "contract" the agency is using does not comply with the
law regulations either. There is no address, no name of the agent
(only signitures and Sunrise Employment Agency stamp and the telephone
number), and the statements are impossible to fulfil (e.g. how can I
get a statement from the elderly lady, when she is crasy and thinks
differently)
3. I was not able to locate that a company under that name "Sunrise
Employment Agency Inc." has been even registered in Illinois.
4. I feel that the agency has worked out an illegal scheme how to
collect and not return the money. I fear that I'm not the only victim.
My speculations are based on that: there where more than 35 caregivers
fired in this particular job aloneduring one year period, the agency
is not running any background check of the employees, which leads
people who are not legally allowed to work in the US being employed,
and consecutively not complaining about lost money upon being fired.
Could anyone please to come up with an advise on how to get my money
back, and also what chances would you think are of going and wining in
small claims court.
Sincerely, Ruta