Pros
Many of the pets are a joy to be around. Many of the clients are nice, and the majority of them tip during the holidays. Dogs.
Cons
Prospect BArk is an abusive, unethical, noncompliant company. The owners have failed to comply with numerous laws, including those implemented to protect employees, and have treated their employees abusively and cruelly. Sick Leave: The company hires only employees - NOT independent contractors. The DOL require employers to allow their employees a certain number of sick days per year, with certain restrictions. This company does NOT give paid sick days, in clear violation of DOL regulations. They also often refuse to give sick days at all, or to give full sick days - also in clear violation of DOL regulations. Additionally, the owners arbitrarily insist on doctors’ notes, which is also in violation of DOL regulations. The owners don’t hesitate to probe into your medical information with complete disregard to the ethical considerations underlying laws such as HIPPA. One former employee became very sick suddenly. She told the owners she still wanted to come into work the next day because she needed the money. She was unable to work the next day, and was fired on the spot. Commuter Benefits: This company fits the bill for a company that must provide its employees with commuter benefits. They do not. Many employees suspect that the company marks all or most its full-time employees as part-time. Failure to meet things they told employees at their commencement of employment: The owners tell prospective employees many things and distort facts as to “sell” this position to prospective employees. They tell interviewees that the highest-paid employee makes X amount of money…then that X amount of money becomes X - 5K…then, as employees continue working for the company, they realize that even that “X - 5K” amount is impossible to make at this job. In reality, employees can only realistically make half of what they were initially told was possible. Employees start off with few clients, and are frequently unable to support themselves for months until the owners give them more work (employees are paid per job, rather than a salary or hourly wage). The owners have said that they do this so the employee is making enough money so that he or she won’t quit, and then will decide whether or not to give the employee more clients. Employees are often told it will only take a month to “build up their client base”. One month turns into two…turns into three…and if and when an employee does wind up with a full schedule, they still are not making a living wage. The average yearly earnings, before tax, is only about $26,000 for a full-time pet caretaker position with Prospect BArk. One large reason for this is that the owners strive to cover every client in every area, even if the clients are located outside of an employee’s route. They attempt to cover every client they can, thus benefitting the company, at the expense of disallowing employees to cover as many jobs per day as they otherwise could. This company is notorious for being the worst pet caretaking agency with respect to widespread routes and employees with too few jobs, and thus, too little income. Additionally, they do everything in their power to avoid a negative Yelp review. They do whatever it takes to retain a dissatisfied client, even if it means employees covering a certain area have to substitute for one job in a different area, every day of the week, further hurting the employees’ abilities to cover as many jobs as possible in one day and make enough money. The owners tell prospective employees that they pay their employees more than any other pet catering agency does so they can find the “best” employees…this is entirely untrue. The owners also would tell prospective employees that they were putting together a health insurance plan and a 401K plan before the end of 2015. Neither happened, nor have employees been informed of the status of these “plans”. Taxes: Until mid-2016, the company paid their employees under the table in part. They have employees complete all necessary tax documentation upon the commencement of their employment, as any (at least, seemingly) legitimate employer does. Yet, they do not inform their employees of the fact that they will only be paid on the books in part. Only upon learning that their paychecks show an enormous difference between what they earned and what they were paid, will the owners inform the employees of this fact only upon being asked by the employees. They tell the employees that this is a nice thing they do for them so they can get some cash here and there. Only, “here and there” really means about half an employee’s paycheck. Some clients used to pay their balances in cash at a discount, which employees would pick up and keep, thus subtracting that amount from their on-the-books income. This is not a “nice thing” for an employer to do for its employees - it’s stealing from then and preventing them from receiving future benefits, such as Social Security. Often, employees are unaware that accepting cash under the table will hurt them in the future, and the owners took advantage of that fact. Abuse: The owners are notorious for giving a superficial “nice” demeanor, yet treating others, especially their employees, in an obscenely degrading manner. The owners repeatedly make up their own rules as they go along as it suits them. This happens most often when an employee does something clearly within the rules of the company, yet the owners see some kind of negative impact on themselves or the company, and instantly act as though the employee broke a rule, treating them in a patronizing, curt, emotionally unintelligent manner…especially when the employee refers back to written documentation showing that the employee was in the right. They also frequently and cruelly gossip about employees and clients, calling clients “awful people” and calling employees names such as “disturbed”. Safety: You are required to work every day, no matter the weather. Even if the city deems it too unsafe for people to go outside for even a few minutes, you are expected to work outside, even if it’s all day, in that weather. They expect their employees to have, say. excellent winter gear for getting through this weather…even though they don’t pay their employees a living wage.
