Buc-ee’s Suing Former Employee for $67K

By Shannon Salas | July 8, 2016

 

Buc-ee’s has become Texas’ most famous convenient store and gas station. If you have never been to one, it certainly is a sight. Bright lights and gas pumps galore surround a massive brick and mortar building in prim and proper condition. Inside, visitors are delighted with an unfathomable number of snacks and trinkets. Then, there are the bathrooms. Super neat, clean toilets await! The bathrooms are huge, they are sparkling clean, and they smell nice. However, what’s going on that such a large, extremely popular gas station needs to sue a former employee for $67k? It all comes down to contracts.

Photo: Pinterest/ Jeneille Ancheta

Kelley Rieves began her career with Buc-ee’s in 2009, and as part of the condition of her employment, was asked to sign a contract stating that if she left before the contract was fulfilled, Buc-ee’s was entitled to collect what they call retention pay. Rieves left her position from Buc-ee’s in 2012, before her contract was up.

According to KSAT, Rieves said she left on good terms and didn’t forsee any future issues, so she was shocked to receive notice from Buc-ee’s that she owed them $67k, which equals out to 3-years retention pay. In the end, Buc-ee’s ended up suing Rieves, and Rieves, in turn, sued Buc-ee’s. However, a contract is a contract, right? The court ruled against Rieves, and is now requiring her to pay the massive convenience store’s legal fees as well. The grand total? Upwards of $100,000.

Photo: Pexels.com

The battle isn’t over yet for Rieves. She has filed an appeal and is awaiting yet another date in court. As for Buc-ee’s, it only makes sense for them to expect employees to stick around for awhile. They pay their employees an above average salary, as far as industry standards are concerned, and offer a pretty comprehensive benefits package for full-time employees according to Glassdoor.com. Not only are employee’s offered health benefits, retirement benefits, and vacation time, they are offered professional development opportunities that will employees to grow within their career, among other perks.