Spanky’s late on employee checks

Spanky’s restaurant in downtown Harrisonburg still owes money to former employees. Several of these employees have contacted the Department of Labor and Industry to collect their deserved earnings.

However, no money has been issued.

Former deli supervisor and JMU student junior Justin Petty is missing paychecks from Spanky’s. Petty worked at the restaurant from October of 2003 until June of `04.

"The last month and a half that I worked [at the restaurant] I received no paychecks," Petty said.

Petty was promised on a weekly basis that he would be paid soon. Managers would ask employees how much money they needed to pay bills and gave out partial amounts of employees’ paychecks. After such promises, still no money was distributed.

"I just had to leave," Petty said. "I was not getting paid, so I did not see the point of working at Spanky’s anymore."

After leaving the company in June, Petty went into the restaurant about a week later and asked for his earnings. The managers said there were no paychecks and no money in the store to give him.

The Spanky’s corporate office in Roanoke and Roland Macher refused to comment.

About a week after quitting in June, Petty filed through the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry for unpaid wage claims.

According to Petty, the response read, "We have been unsuccessful in securing payment of your wages or resolving this matter informally."

The DOLI’s next step is to issue a final order, which allows collection efforts to be made against the employer or corporation’s assets. This process takes about 120 days, according to the response. Petty said he is owed about $1,200.

Former restaurant supervisor Meredith Matzkin (’03) said she was fired from Spanky’s in November 2003 for being late. At the time she was fired, she had been waiting for two paychecks and never received them.

"They tell everyone once you quit or get fired that you will receive your checks in the mail," Matzkin said.

Ellie Davis, former general manager of Spanky’s, worked in the restaurant since 2000. She explained that the restaurant began bouncing checks when Spanky’s Express opened in September 2003.

Sophomore Matt Bosworth, who never received payment, spoke to store owner Roland Macher as recently as a week ago about his missing paychecks. According to Bosworth, Macher apologized and told Bosworth if he sent in his hours he would be paid.