Rent A Center Inc Complaint

Rent A Center Inc - unpaid wages,, hostile work environment

I was a district manager for rent a center. I worked for the company from 6-05 until 8-08. I was offered a promotion in May of 2007 to DM. During the 'interview' I was told my wages would be 92K per year. The Regional director at the time basically forced me to accept the position and relocate over 100 miles from my home. He did this because while many people wanted to get promoted no one wanted to work for him. After moving and actually working in the new position I quickly realized there was a problem with my pay and my vacation time within the internal system. I quickly brought this to the attention of my supervisor. He had been under investigation apparently for multiple infractions from being hostile to coworkers, strategically removing coworkers from their positions so that he could put his friends in place, and even having affairs with different coworkers down the chain. It was an ugly situation. I was told by him that when the 1st of the year rolled around my pay would correct itself and I would be paid retro. He told me that I could not take a vacation before my anniversary date but that he would see to it that I got it between me and him so that I didn’t lose the week. Well a few months went by and the investigation led to the removal of the regional director. I was told he was removed because of dozens and dozens of complaints throughout the region. He was paid over 60K as a severance. When the new regional came I brought my complaints to him and I was told he would take care of them. A few months went by and I heard nothing. When I would bring it up he would avoid the topic over and over letting even more time go by. The region I worked in was region 42 of Arizona. Our region had the worst turnover in the company. We had over 135 turnover. We lost dozens and dozens of district managers, store mangers, and asst managers during this 'Hitler' regime. Many people were forced out, or fired for trying to stand up to the problems. It seemed like the company did not care how much you worked, pushed, or slaved you were just a number. If you didn’t push people beyond the limit then you risked being fired yourself. Working there was hell. We were forced to make people work on their days off. People were forced to be on call or risk being fired. The list goes on and on. It was an extremely hostile work environment. This lead to push me out of the company I worked so hard for. In late July of 08 after receiving no response from my supervisor about my pay, and some of the working conditions I sent an email of resignation to my supervisor and copied the HR director, and his boss the Vice president. I quickly received an email back from the VP stating that if he could fix the issues at hand would I stay. I wrote back telling him yes! He wrote back and said he would get on the issues and he would contact me shortly. Well 1 week later I was called to my office by my supervisor. When I got there he was there along with the HR Director. He told me that I was removed from my position and excused from the company! I never heard from the VP or anything. My chief complaint is a missing bonus check of 1100, also a missing week of vacation pay that was promised which is 1769, a pay differential that I was cheated out of from the original negotiated amount for my position which is 19833. Because I was forced out by the hostile conditions and the failure to correct my pay I feel I am entitled to a severance just like the old RD and at my pay scale which equates to 46000. The total amount owed to me by Rent A Center Inc is 68702. According to the law in my state they will owe 3X that amount which is 206,106 if they don’t pay what is owed quickly. Additionally there are other things such as being forced to work on off hours without pay and a list of other issues to which I have documented proof of. Please feel free to write if there is something else. Thanks

Ryanself@aol.com

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