Brickman Landscaping The Woodlands, Texas Dave, Mark P, Brian L, Marcus Gave me a raise 3 months before I "quit", yet I didnt see it on any check the woodlands, Texas

I worked for these guys for almost 2 years, I started off at $8/hr as a weedeater on the tractor crew and worked my way up the food chain to mechanic to tractor driver to what I call "Fill-in-for-absent-crewleaders" which had supervisory responsibilities. First instead of promoting me to tractor crew leader they brought in a guy from the other branch to lead it whom I had to train and ended up doing half his work long story short (if you need details I can supply) he quit then they brought in another crew and made that crews leader the tractor crew leader and I had to train him to do things that they do now that they didnt have to do years ago when he was formerly on the crew. At this point you could say I was a regular crew member training supervisors to supervise me and to do other aspects of the job such as maintence, all this on top of my regular duties for a dollar more than I started.

I "quit" in November, the weeks leading up to it I had demanded a raise for all this extra I had been doing (and with my mouth shut the whole time prior cuz I dont complain) they said well didnt you just get one? I said no i'm still at $9/hr and have been for months they said thats not right they had bumped me to $10/hr 3 months ago and pulled out the paperwork (a review of my performance) which had a footnote that stated $9/hr --> $10/hr. So for those 3 months 40+ hours a week I was missing out on a $1/hr which I clearly earned. That's alot of money for a 22 year old male struggling to keep a roof over my head and to keep my car running.

Leading up to the confrontation where I discovered the raise I had no call no showed a few days to look for other work or to do other work (I was painting and pressure washing driveways working for myself, I had to do this to be able to afford to put lunch and water in my workbag due to the courts costing me $$$ for being arrested for DWI even tho I havent been accused I have an IID in my car and have to pay out my own pocket for it and whatever else the court throws at me cuz apparently you are Guilty until proven innocent if you are arrested on a DWI/DUI) But I told them straight up I had not come into work cuz I felt yall were "blowing smoke up my a*s" and I wasnt gonna waste anymore time with this company. They said well what you wanna quit? I said no I'd like to stay if I got my raise. I proposed to them a probation period of terms and length of time they could choose and to not tell me so I wouldnt just "put on a show".

They agreed and it went well til one morning I was an hour late (not gonna give an excuse just gonna recommend buying a SECOND alarm clock cuz s**t happens) Dave had told me I messed up the probation period and would remain a driver at 9/hr, this pissed me off so I told him almost these exact words " if I messed it up let me go home for the day to get a jump at finding new work" and he said OK. Next morning I come in for work they ask what are you doing here? I said I gotta pay the bills somehow, Dave said I had quit, I said "No, where in "if i messed it up let me go home for today and get a jump at finding new work" does it state I Quit?" It means I had intention to quit but not at that time, Dave rebuttaled with a grin "Well you didnt shave today". I replied angrily "If I cant afford to put food and water in this bag, do you think I'm gonna spend my money on a razor first?" he then replied "Well I already did the paperwork sorry" after that I just left and luckily found new work fairly fast.

I dont know if I can seek legal help to get that $1/hr for those 3 months but if possible would be a blessing. Any advice is appreciated, any scrutiny at my grammar is frowned upon, it's text it's legible if its mispelled sound it out youll get what I was trying to say, no need trying to be the Grammar Police.