Autistic Man Worked at Applebee’s for Almost a Year Without a Paycheck

[Miles Archer]

Autistic Man Worked at Applebee’s for Almost a Year Without a Paycheck

http://www.thedailymeal.com/news/eat/autistic-man-worked-applebee-s-almost-year-without-seeing-paycheck/102115

Caleb Dyl, 21, has autism and was placed in an Applebee’s job training program in Rhode Island where he allegedly worked unpaid for a year



An Applebee’s in Middletown, Rhode Island, has come under scrutiny for allegedly failing to pay one of their employees for almost an entire year. Caleb Dyl, 21, a man with severe autism, worked at the fast casual chain for about three days a week for a year in 2014 and never saw a paycheck. Applebee’s will now be backlogging Dyl’s paychecks for the entire time he worked there.

According to local news station WPRI, Dyl was placed in the program by the local Pawtucket-based Resources for Human Development and after a few weeks of training, was told that he would be hired as a prep cook. According to Dyl’s father, Bob, though he continued to work there for about a year and he had filled out a W-4 form, as well as signed up for direct check deposit, he technically was still in the unpaid job training program for the duration of his employment.

The Applebee’s location even treated him as an employee. “One young man told me they were lucky to have him, that Caleb just continues to work and work and he won’t stop until the end of his shift,” Bob Dyl explained.

[yeoman6987]

1. Wow!

Kinda strange the case worker didn't recognize this. The ARC could be at fault.

[Journeyman]

2. So Applebee's will pay him for 166 hours, but at what rate? Hope it's in line with what others get…

and maybe a bit more in recognition of local management's incompetence and/or greed.


I just did the math and it doesn't work out. The article says he worked 3 days a week for a year. At 52 weeks and an hour a day, that'd be 156 hours. He only worked an additional 10 hours spread over 52 weeks? Doesn't seem right.

[jberryhill]

3. It says...

"about three days a week"

"he continued to work there for about a year"

I don't think the article was intended to be mathematically precise.

[Marrah_G]

4. Someone dropped the ball bigtime

I am in RI and son has ASD and is in a program to help with employment and training. He did one week of unpaid work with a coach just to see what type of work setting he could handle. Then he did a couple more weeks of being observed in a work setting that fit his skills, but they paid him for that. Right now we are waiting on a couple more hurdles until he can hopefully get a job. He really wants to live on his own or in a group setting.

I was surprised to see this article was from my city because they have been wonderful in regards to my son. There are many resources here for people on the Autism spectrum.

[Egnever]

5. Yea sounds like someone forgot to complete some paperwork.

To transfer him to paid status. It doesn't sound like it was intentional.