I worked for Flat Rate Moving as an outside sales rep from July 2008 Through March 2009 and gave my two weeks notice on March 4th, with plans on moving out of state later that month. When I told my boss Dori Sobe of my two weeks notice he told me 'we don't work this way' and that I immediately needed to come to headquarters and return all company property (car, cellphone and laptop). He printed out a report which included all of my sales from February and March and told me that I would continue to receive paychecks for these months when they were due (Feb. commissions were due Mar. 18).
I returned to FlatRate Moving on Feb. 19th to get my pay and no one there had my check and they were looking into where it was. Needing to leave, and move to the west coast I was promised that the check would be mailed to me at my new address. It is now April 9th and the check still has not arrived. I have spoken with Dori Sobe and Mike Kessler dozens of times where he has lied to me saying the check is in the mail, we are working on it, etc. He would also respond with 'What do you think, Reese, that we aren't going to pay you?' well, that apparently is what they are doing, and they refuse to give me a reason or even take any of my calls. I have never worked for such a horrible employer as FlatRate Moving.
Flatrate Moving scams it's employees out of money in many ways. While there we were required to attend meetings once per month (unpaid). Employees are given ridiculous appointment schedules requiring us to travel to Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Long Island and Manhattan all in one day and they do not get paid any money for all the time spent traveling unless they make a sale, then the commission is only 6%. There were days there where I made $0.00 and spent 8 hours just sitting in gridlock traffic.
No overtime is paid to any Flatrate Moving employees because they are all paid a small commission. No paid vacation, No paid sick days either. Employees are required to work on weekends and evenings. I feel bad for everyone that works for FlatRate Moving. Obviously by requiring everyone to work long hours for no additional compensation the company is very profitable and spends a great deal of money on Advertising and Marketing. The management, Mike Kessler in particular, seems hell-bent on growing the company with little or no care for employee morale or well being.
FlatRate Moving is a miserable company to work for and the movers show this through their bad attitudes on the job. I have posted photos of Mike Kessler and Dori Sobe (steer clear of these Shysters at all costs!) Check out all the negative reviews piling up on Yelp.com. This company is definitely on the decline. I just hope that I can recover my unpaid wages before their ship is sunk!
Reese Farrow