Eberle Robert A Attorney in Pittsburgh, PA

Jackie asked a question

Good Morning Attorney Eberly,


I was referred to you by a former co-worker that you had helped a while ago Mary Ann Caputo. I explained my work situation to her and she said maybe you could help.

Here is my story. I work for a local newspaper called The Ellwood City Ledger. In 2005 it was purchased from a local family by a media company Calkins Media from Levittown PA. The Beaver County Times is a part of this corporation, our Sister Co, they oversee all aspects of our paper. We are still located in Ellwood City. In 2007 the made me the Circulation Manager and gave me a raise to $16 plus and hr. I have 1 full time and 1 part time employee. All the problems started when a carrier quit his route, and I had to deliver it. It wasn't a big deal until I had been doing it 7 days a week for 6 months. I would deliver then go back to work. I had a company car at the time so there was no expense to me except my time. I worked weekends, Holidays, and my vacations I received no compensation other than my wages. I eventually got the route covered but this is how it's been since. I asked for help from the Beaver County Times. They have District Sales Managers that are well paid to do routes. They work 5 days a week and start at 4 in the morning . I was told that they are all busy with other routes for their paper, The Beaver County Times.


When I took this position I was making $16 plus an hour, for about 3 months then the bottom fell out of the newspaper business, and they took 10% from all full time employees. That was 2007, we since got 3% back but no raises since. I am a salary employee. My hours according to my Job Description are 7am to 3pm Monday through Friday.

Last year after delivering a route the company car was parked beside our office and was hit by another vehicle, Calkins Media's Insurance Company took the car to the local body shop where my daughters boyfriend works. He said the went over the car with a fine tooth comb to total the car. The car I had was the last of the fleet of cars the Company owned. District Sales Managers have been using their own cars. There are about 6 or 8 of them. Now I have to use my own car to deliver routes for .31 cents a mile reimbursement. On weekends Holidays, and Vacations. Did I mention that at one point when a route was down I was in the Hospital and my husband did the route. I have missed Family functions and events because of having to deliver papers.


I was told that we cant have any more money because our circulation is so small, but my carriers deliver the Beaver County Times on Sunday and The daily times. Which is part of their circulation. If there is a missed delivery or an issue with the Times delivery the Circulation Manager calls me.There is no place for me to go in this company either. I tried to bid on a job at the Beaver County Times as a Office Processor twice, which I could have walked right into the job. 1st thing is that if I would take that position there would be no one here to do my job. Every time I try to apply they keep changing the job description for the job.


The main problem is I signed a job description back in 2012 that stated that I will not deliver routes unless company car is provided. My full time, and Part time employees also signed job descriptions, neither one stating that delivering newspapers was part of their jobs, until we got a new Circulation Director, and she changed my full time employees job description without her knowing, to state she has to go out and deliver routes. Which she never signed. More or less I am the only designated person to do routes. When I had to deliver on my vacation and mentioned it to my boss she told me sorry you have to do that but at least you don't have to go back to the office.

My biggest issue is that we are small my co worker and i handle everything here, Customers paper issues Carrier issues news issues, Sales issues Classified problems. Where at the Times the Circulation Manager and the District Sales Managers do not have the authority or the knowledge that I do. they work 4am to 12 noon, and if they have to work a Sunday they get a day off during the week, and make much more than I do. They are both Men. There is so much more. I just want to know if this company is breaking any laws or if I'm being discriminated? I don't know what to do.My boss told me if i don't have a way to do routes i will lose my job. So If my car breaks down or something i'm fired. i don't make enough to buy a new car, my husband is on disability after 17 going on 18 years with the company I bring home $ 560 a pay it was less before I took my husband off of my insurance, It was $480 every 2 weeks. I feel like I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Thank you

Jackie Eidenmiller

724-674-7675

mjeidenmiller@yahoo.com