Len Dubois Trucking

Seen them around alot. Good to know about companies like this. Seems the good ones are few and far between.

 

Well, just as a bit of an update . . .

I drove for them for 2 years, and I thought they were pretty good. They were the first one to offer of three truck companies that offered me a job, so I signed with them. On their site, and in the driver package, they "mostly" explain what they pay but two of the numbers they didn't write down were drops for a local window company, Loewen, and actual layover pay. On top of this, I found their pay sheets disorganized and confusing. As a new commercial driver, spending 30+ years with the military, I hadn't developed a distrust for civilian employers and as everything seemed mostly on the up and up, I didn't question them.

Come to just a few weeks ago, I was getting ready to do my taxes again and I happened to pick up a pay sheet with a long run to California, with lots of drops, and I noticed that I hadn't been paid for a single one. We're supposed to get $25 per pick or drop. I looked at a couple other pay sheets, and decided to make a quick spreadsheet that listed all the picks and drops I'd actually done vs the ones I'd been paid for. Then I added the $10 per border crossing, the $100 per layover that the HR guy, John Cole had told me on three separate occasions, plus the $35 "premium scale" that John told me I'd be paid for Loewen drops. Out of the 37 pay records I have (missing 11), only 7 are actually right. Initially, due to the non-standard way they track the trip data, I calculated that they owed me over $1500.

I talked to the accountants and they denied that John would ever have told me $100 for layovers and $35 per window drop, because they said the layovers were $80 (even though it isn't written down anywhere on the driver package) and there is a separate sheet for a scaled window drop pay scale, where most drops aren't even paid what the regular ones are. Additionally, John and Wayne both said it was my fault because I should have been checking my pay (and making sure that CPAs are doing their job. Really?) They also showed me where partial payment of the drops was listed under a different heading, and not numbered at all like the rest of the drops. I did a recalculation, and the number still ended up over $1100. I went back and told them, while John denied ever telling me the wrong numbers, and Wayne, the accountant, denied everything as well but claimed he'd look into it, that I'd give them two weeks to sort out my pay and pay me what I'd earned or I'd have to go to the labour board and the courts to get my pay. John calls back about 12 hours before I was leaving with a new load, livid that I won't tuck my tail between my legs and shut up about the pay, and fired me.

The last two pays were also short, while this was going on, they didn't pay the $1100+ they owe me (I have documented proof of that), the 5 days severance they owe me by law, or the 2 weeks in lieu of notice (they'll likely try to claim an exception - which they have to prove). In total, the amount is over $4000 now, and I've started the labour board and court proceedings to get my pay.

I don't think there's some conspiracy where they are out to get just me and screw me on my pay. This is the way they do their bookkeeping and I have no doubt that other company drivers are short on their pay too. They got mine wrong 80% of the time, so how are they getting other drivers' right? I've talked to other drivers and they're too scared to say anything so I can't imagine how many thousands and thousands of dollars other drivers have been shorted when I'm out at least $500 a year. I have a bit more financial security than perhaps they do, so that's why I spoke up. I don't know a lot about the O/Os so I can't comment, but knowing what I know now, I would have stayed clear of Len Dubois. Just a warning to other drivers.

 

I hope you learned your lesson.

1. When it comes to ANY workplace policy if it's not in writing, it doesn't exist. And, that goes for pay. If someone says they're going to pay you for something that's not in the pay policy, get in writing.

2. ALWAYS check your pay. My company is real good with being accurate. I still check every week, however. Anyone can make a mistake periodically and payroll is not an exception.

3. They can fire you without cause (assuming you're in an "at will" state), but they still owe you whatever money they have shorted you that was in writing. Again, the money you were told you'd get, but not in writing. You can likely forget about that money.

 

Yeah, the lesson I learned is that drivers have let themselves become the whipping boys of truck companies. Any time the truck company manages to screw the drivers over, it's the drivers fault for letting them, right? That's some really broken thinking and contrary to every labour law, but again, the drivers let it happen.

1. That's fine in print on an obscure forum, but companies will enforce their unwritten rules, and ignore policy even when it's written down, so your comment is moot. The companies will try to get away with whatever they can, written or not.

2. No driver "needs" to check their pay, unless they're working for crooks. There are high priced accountants whose job is, during payroll, to may sure the drivers' pay is correct. That's THEIR job, not the drivers'. If the accountants aren't, they're incompetent at best, committing fraud at worst. Claiming drivers "need" to check their pay is broken thinking and exactly what the truck companies would like you to think. They screw up, and it's YOUR fault. ########, regardless of what type of work it is.

3. No one can be "fired for no cause". On the face of it, that makes zero sense. If there was no cause, then why was the person fired in the first place? Exactly. Makes no sense. People can be fired any time with JUST CAUSE, and just cause means the company doesn't have to give notice or pay in lieu of notice, BUT the company has to prove why they had "just cause" to fire a person without notice or severance. It's all on them, they have to prove how they had just cause to fire the person, and "at will" doesn't apply. Verbal contracts have weight in court especially when their version of the pay isn't written down either and they have been negligent.

 

Whatever. You keep living in that "I shouldn't have to" bubble and let me know how that works out for you. It's certainly served you well so far. Lol

And, take that verbal contract and $2.00 to McDonalds and get a cup of coffee because that's all it's good for. Oh wait, I forgot, you can magically make that comapny admit in court that they told you you'd be paid. Sure, I'm certain they'll do that. I mean they're under oath the, right? They'll HAVE to tell the truth.

And, yes a comapny CAN fire you without cause in an "at will" state so long as they're not breaking any federal discriminatory laws, meaning they can't fire you because of your skin color, religion, etc... Your situation doesn't fall under those conditions. Look it up.

That's exactly what "at will" means. You are employed at their will and they can terminate your employment for any reason (other than what I stated above) at anytime of their choosing.

You'll need to check to find out if you're in an "at will" state. Or, is that not your job either?

 

Manitoba is not a state.

 

Sorry, but you need to keep an eye on your pay stubs to make sure you're getting what's owed. Two years later, geez.

 

Lol, I didnt pay attention to that. Then, perhaps "at will" doesn't apply there. I don't educate myself with the laws of countries I have no intention of visiting.

I'll stand by the rest of my comments, however. Bottom line, we shouldn't have to do a lot of things. But, I've generally found that Ronald Reagan's advice is sound: "Trust, but verify".