Looking at 18,064 loose pennies in five boxes, Raymond M. Preece shook his head in disbelief and wondered why his former employer would pay him in this rather unusual way.
Undaunted, Preece has taken the pennies to a bank and received a check.The tale of the pennies began May 24, 1989, at Architectural Stairways, 6146 S. 350 West, Murray, where Preece was employed as a mill worker. He was operating a fork lift loaded with lumber and ran into an overhead door. He says it was an accident.
Without telling Preece, company President Ralph Kemker withheld $100 from Preece's June 30 paycheck and wrote on the check that more would be withheld later. True to his word, Kemker withheld $80.64 from the July 15 paycheck.
Preece filed a claim with the State Industrial Commission, claiming the money was withheld illegally.
According to a Sept. 29 order, signed by Colleen Strasburg, wage claim hearing examiner, Kemker claimed Preece was negligent in damaging the door, estimated to cost $364 to repair.
But Strasburg said the wages were improperly deducted from Preece's paychecks and there was no evidence that Preece "caused malicious or intentional damage" to the door. She ordered Kemker to pay $180.64 to the commission, which would turn the money over to Preece, who now works for NICE/Apex Corp.
Asked why he decided to pay off in pennies, Kemker said he felt "wronged" by the commission's decision to make him pay the money and thought he would have some fun with his former employee.
Kemker, noting that Preece was a good worker, said he felt he was being fair in withholding 50 percent of the cost of the door repair and believed the commission made the wrong decision. He said there are some differences between federal and state law regarding the withholding of money from paychecks.
After deciding to make the payoff in pennies, Kemker said he arranged with First Security Bank to get him 18,064 pennies, and it took them a week to find them.
By the way, it cost Kemker $18 to send the pennies via United Parcel Service. "It was worth it," he said.