"Checks have been bouncing for years," said Susan Greenfield an aerobics instructor.
"We would rush to the bank to try to cash our check because we knew they might bounce."
"He owes me about $930. He owed Lisa $4000," said another employee.
He is John DePrince. Through a company called Venom, he and his partner operated a Gold's Gym in Conshohocken.
And this wasn't the only DePrince business that cashed and left employees out to dry. DePrince also shut down Gold's Gyms his companies operated in King of Prussia and Broomall. He says all three gyms ended up in financial trouble.
"Yeah, I never got paid for the last month of classes," said Yoga instructor Felicia Hueber.
Michelle says she was told that the check was in the mail. Five months later she says there was paycheck.
Meantime, DePrince told Action News all companies filed for bankruptcy. He said he was "trying to maximize the amount that all creditors would receive." And "all the money made by the Conshohocken location was used to pay bills of Venom ... none of the money went into my pocket."
But DePrince is opening yet another new gym. He used to operate a Gold's in a building in King of Prussia and now he has a Factory Fitness there.
"Because they weren't successful with gyms 1, 2, and 3 what makes them think number four is their magic ticket," questions one employee who asked not to be identified.
DePrince says he's restarting the gym at K-O-P to provide money for creditors. Meantime, he is just one of many employers who aren't paying their workers.
"We have seen a tremendous uptick in the number of people who are not being paid their last paycheck or proper minimum wage or overtime," said Suzanne Young of Community Legal Services.
The law does require employees get paid on their designated pay day.
"And at the very least, if they are not paid within 30 days of the regular pay date, then they're entitled to 25-percent of the wages due or $500, whichever is greater."
So file a claim with your state's Department of Labor or in small claims court or seek through a free legal advocate.
If you file a wage collection complaint form with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, the state will investigate your complaint and mediate or file a case for you in local court.
If your employer files for bankruptcy, the state will work with your employer to create a payment plan. However, if there's no money left from the business, the state says you will then have to go through bankruptcy court without its help like any other creditor.
Also some of the Gold's workers were independent contractors. The state does not go to bat for independent contractors. But again, they may be entitled to free legal help through agencies like Community Legal services.
For more information:
Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry
PA Dept. of Labor and Industry Wage Complaint Form
PA Dept. of Labor and Industry Payment of Wages to Employees
New Jersey Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development
State of Delaware Office of Labor Law Enforcement
Community Legal Services