We’re Pretty Sure Slave Labor Wasn’t On The Job Description

I start a job in a little Greek Restaurant early in high school. When I get hired I spend the first two days cleaning everything the owner and son are too lazy to clean. I’m talking about years’ worth of old grease in the deep fryer’s interior, mold in the fridges, stains in the bathrooms, etc.; all just very gross.

It’s coming to the end of the second day:

Me: “So, how does payday work here? Is it weekly, bi-weekly, what?”

Owner: “You are on training; if we like the job you do we will hire you with pay.”

Me: *Confused.* “So you’re saying that you’re not going to pay me for cleaning years’ worth of mold, grease, and bathroom stains?”

Owner: “No, you will be paid for work once your training is done.”

Me: “Oh! Okay. F*** this, I quit.”

Yes, very illegal, and yes I should have done something about it, but I was sixteen and didn’t know how to. I did bad mouth them to everyone at school though, who constituted a significant percentage of the dining populace in our small town, so I know I canceled a few big bookings that otherwise would have been held there.