Can my job really make me pay them or take my check if I quit without notice?

I work at a Petsmart in Virginia and on the first day of orientation I was told that if I was put on the schedule and I suddenly quit that they would either take my check or make them pay or both (for example: If I'm scheduled to work 20 hours next week and I quit, I would owe them for the 20 hours that I did not work). I wanted to know if this is true or not? I've looked it up online but didn't really find any clear answers. I really hate my job and the drama that goes with it, and plan on quitting this weekend.

hr4me

An employer is legally obligated (by federal wage and labor laws) to pay you for any and all hours worked. They can not refuse to pay you because you do not give notice of your intent to leave the job. The only way they can deduct from your paychecks is if you are overpaid (you take days off and are paid for them but do not have any paid time off accrued at the time).

Employment is at-will and as such they can let you go and you can leave a job with no notice. The only exception, and it doesn't sound like it would apply in your case, would be if you signed some kind of employment contract with them stating you would give a specific notice time when leaving. Those are rare and would not apply in a retail situation like Petsmart.

Judy

No, they are required by federal law to pay you for the hours you worked.

stray cat

You must of misunderstood them. They cannot keep money you earned.

Steve D

They are legally obligated to pay you for all hours worked. If they do not provide you with a check, call the federal Department of Labor, Employment Standards Administration, Wage and Hour Division. (check the website at http://www.dol.gov)

lostino1979

No thats not legal to charge you .
What they could do is withhold any payment they owed to you if you did not give them any notice.
Youll have tyo find out how much notice youll have to give
It couold be one or two weeks and youll have to put your resignation in writing and give it to them and keep a copy for yourself.
If you just leave and they owe you a weeks pay or whatever than you probably wont get it. You can claim in court for the money but as its probably low paid it probably wouldnt be worth your while.
My suggestion would be to stick it out for onbe more week and hand them a letter of resignation today.
If its that bad take a couple of sick days at the end of the week and just work your last day

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