Employees Continue To Work Without Paychecks

By Tak Landrock t.landrock@krdo.com

COLORADO SPRINGS – It’s been a rough week for Melt store manager Tessa Mayo. She’s been trying to keep her staff in place even though they haven’t received their last paycheck. Mayo says, “People need to have a paycheck; it’s their livelihood. I’m running out of food in my cupboards.”

Ms. Mayo has worked for Melt at the Chapel Hills Mall since October of last year. She tells NEWSCHANNEL 13 the owner has missed payday in the past, but this is the longest period she can remember. “I actually have employees who are giving me their notice and they’re leaving in days.”

Employees NEWSCHANNEL 13 spoke withsay Ms. Mayo has been a great manager. She spoke with NEWSCHANNEL 13 in hopes of getting Melt’s owner, David Fisher, to pay up adding, “It’s not fair to those employees.”

Melt, which is a Colorado based company, has several locations across the United States with another storeset to open this weekend at the Park Meadows Mall in south Denver.

Mr. Fischer admits his staff hasn’t been paid. He blames a credit card processing company for not paying him on time, Fischer says “We switched credit card processors a week and a ½ ago and that didn’t go smoothly.” He tells NEWSCHANNEL 13 he is a small retailer that has been hit hard by the economy. “The reason we have problems paying is because we are not flush with money.” He promises to work on getting employees paid by Saturday.NEWSCHANNEL 13 has learned the Department of Labor is looking into the employee allegations.

If you are an employee of Melt and haven’t been paid you can contact Michael Jones with the Department of Labor at 720-264-3144 or by e-mail, which is preferred, jones.Michael.j@dol.gov