Unpaid wages from marijuana farm owner

J

jamieisdope

Well-Known Member
It was in Oregon. First year growing. It was verbal agreement. I was living there and the situation was pretty much a labor camp.
How to collect?
Go.
 
Lucky Luke

Lucky Luke

Well-Known Member
Speak to you local member of Parliament (or whatever the equivalent is their). They will put you on the right track and maybe just a phone call from them will see the wages paid.
 
J

jamieisdope

Well-Known Member
It's an Asian farm owner trying to make big bucks in the marijuana industry who has no knowledge of the plants or anything whatsover. Just to let u know what kind of person owns the farm.

I messaged them and asked when I'd get pay. He told me a few months. He is not specifying the amount at all. I was not a bad worker. I was the sole reason the farm even saw harvest. I had the water duties on two parcels. Total of 3 people for two parcels. 1 person pruned on one parcel and one for the other. Then we had maybe 2 helping hands during cutting and hanging. The owners of the farm rarely spent any time at the farm and were negligent throughout the whole grow. We're total newbs and they just left us to fend for ourselves while living it up and trying to come back during harvest to collect. We lost alot of yield because they didn't harvest when I told them to when I noticed signs of budrot. Now they said our percentage from sales will be decreased due to the fact they didn't have alot to sell. But none of that should fall on the workers hands. We shouldn't have to bite the bullet on that. I just have a feeling I will be underpaid..my hours wouldn't be remotely close to correct for the time I worked there. Because it's nonexistent. He doesn't have a log at all for any of us I don't believe. I think he's trying to skimp out on paying me anything hourly wages. How much do outdoor growers make a season?

I basically have been strung alot throughout a series of bullshit lies. All the information i was given is pretty much misleading up to this point. Just empty promises..no paperwork involved but i have communication proof of him acknowledging i worked on his farm and he owes me money for my services..I'm just wanting to know what my best option is. I definitely dont want to take no small bullshit unfair amount for my time there..it was pretty much a labor camp that would fail all inspections. All summer we had no choice but to stay outside in the heat..no refrigerator/freezer for months..unsanitary..safety concerns there was a joke...etcetc.

Iwould like to know if my case would be strong enough to take to court. Or should I accept whatever amount I receive because taking it to court would possibly be more expensive? I don't even know how much someone would make in this position. not to mention all the other things i did in preparation to develop the farm.
 
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Sapphyre

Sapphyre

Active Member
That sucks BUT...what did you actually sign up for?
Hourly wage?
A cut of the final sale?
One of those w a place to stay?
Something else??

Oregon is a strange market right now since everything is so new and they might have hired you because they knew no more than you guys and thought they could cut a fat hog... Prices were $4000+ a pound not too long ago for top shelf shit. Now $1400 is more the norm for killer finished product and lesser quality - or average - or you know, ....moldy - bud fetches far far less... If it can even be sold :/

If you had an agreement that was clear (and hopefully written down), you may have something to work with. If not.... sorry, it may be their word against yours :/

Good luck
 
J

jamieisdope

Well-Known Member
Lucky Luke said:
Id also be making sure it was a fully licenced legal grow before approaching authorities in regard to chasing your unpaid wages.
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They showed the paperwork and certificates needed for the farm and left it with the main entrance to the farm for whoever was living there. Was told to hand that over to any authority inspecting when they arrive.

ANC said:
they probably processed the moldy bud.
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They trashed everything no salvage from it I believe.

Sapphyre said:
That sucks BUT...what did you actually sign up for?
Hourly wage?
A cut of the final sale?
One of those w a place to stay?
Something else??

Oregon is a strange market right now since everything is so new and they might have hired you because they knew no more than you guys and thought they could cut a fat hog... Prices were $4000+ a pound not too long ago for top shelf shit. Now $1400 is more the norm for killer finished product and lesser quality - or average - or you know, ....moldy - bud fetches far far less... If it can even be sold :/

If you had an agreement that was clear (and hopefully written down), you may have something to work with. If not.... sorry, it may be their word against yours :/

Good luck
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It was understood by the owner we were moving there and he would house us.
The only only proof I can get is just the text of him acknowledge I was working there and he owes me for my labor.
Cut of the final sale was my understand and the hourly time spent working.
That is the reason I continued to work there because I was prepping on leaving before it got truly bad but i was too time invested.
 
BarnBuster

BarnBuster

Virtually Unknown Member
Personally, I would write this off as a life lesson and try not to get fucked over again but that said, if/since the grow was legal, I would first start with whatever Oregon considers a labor relation or fair wage board. All states have them. Make your case with them in a logical, concise written document. Lay out all the facts and see what they say. You could also buy an hour of time with a good labor law atty and see what he says. Good Luck

edit: http://www.oregon.gov/boli/whd/pages/index.aspx
 
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J

jamieisdope

Well-Known Member
BarnBuster said:
Personally, I would write this off as a life lesson and try not to get fucked over again but that said, if/since the grow was legal, I would first start with whatever Oregon considers a labor relation or fair wage board. All states have them. Make your case with them in a logical, concise written document. Lay out all the facts and see what they say. You could also buy an hour of time with a good labor law atty and see what he says. Good Luck

edit: http://www.oregon.gov/boli/whd/pages/index.aspx
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Thank you Emailed them(BOLI) and they gave some insight on what to do. Issue is I have no money for an attorney because whatever money I had was spent on the farm for food purchases and necessities while i was there.
Looking into some Pro Bono help but no luck.
I want to try to compromise and come to an agreement out of court. Or at least know what I'm able to do legally with all the information I have on this case so I can counter offer or demand more money that is rightfully deserved if the amount is substantially less but don't want to do it without any leverage.

Anyways thanks to everyone who contributed their .02

Just gonna get smoked out and zone out now. :'(
 
Werp

Werp

Well-Known Member
You can also use some guerilla tactics, Take picture of farm owner and below his picture post your story. Start pinning it up around places he would frequent. At the very least- let others aware of what a scumbag he is.
 
P

pabloesqobar

Well-Known Member
jamieisdope said:
Thank you Emailed them(BOLI) and they gave some insight on what to do. Issue is I have no money for an attorney because whatever money I had was spent on the farm for food purchases and necessities while i was there.
Looking into some Pro Bono help but no luck.
I want to try to compromise and come to an agreement out of court. Or at least know what I'm able to do legally with all the information I have on this case so I can counter offer or demand more money that is rightfully deserved if the amount is substantially less but don't want to do it without any leverage.

Anyways thanks to everyone who contributed their .02

Just gonna get smoked out and zone out now. :'(
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Barnbuster posted a good link with instructions on how to file your claim. Do you have any idea how much you are owed? Sounds like it should be greater than $10k. But if $10k or less, you can always sue in small claims.

But like most States, Oregon has stiff penalties for violating wage laws. And statutory attorneys fees if you prevail.

https://www.oregonlaws.org/ors/652.200

I would be surprised if you can't find an attorney to take that case on a contingency basis. Like these guys:

http://www.wageclaim.org (they're just the 1st one I saw in a Google search).

Many times the statutory attorneys fees are the tail that wags the dog. Especially in these types of cases. Those fees can quickly be worth more than the underlying case. A good demand letter from a lawyer that handles cases like this works wonders.

Creates a big incentive for the other side to mitigate their damages and settle quickly.
 
R

redivider

Well-Known Member
look up labor attorneys in your area and write them an e-mail. Tell them you are willing to take a large cut if you prevail but cannot pay anything upfront. Sometimes if a lawyer thinks you have a good shot at winning they'll help you out upfront (but then want 60-70% of the total settlement)......

next time work out a weekly payment deal - ask to get paid every Friday 8am. If your boss doesn't come through you don't come through and you stop working. Thta way you only lose 1 week of time - not months. One week of accrued labor comes out to a couple hundred bucks, not couple thousand.... and those are zeroes that matter......

I know, most of the time this is an arrangement that won't work for a lot of weed farmers. But, what is worse?

Not finding a job in the marijuana industry, or finding a job in the marijuana industry where you don't get paid?

T
 
Moldy

Moldy

Well-Known Member
jamieisdope said:
It was in Oregon. First year growing. It was verbal agreement. I was living there and the situation was pretty much a labor camp.
How to collect?
Go.
Click to expand...
It appears that you're fucked. On the other hand don't get mad, get even. I would bet that he is not legit. Narc the fucker out. Just because he grows weed doesn't mean he doesn't deserve your wrath. Fuck with him... somehow and you'll at least feel vindicated.
 
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