What are my rights to refuse paid overtime?
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What are my rights to refuse paid overtime?
I am an hourly employee who chose to work night shift and part of the job description was required to work overtime or weekends as needed. Despite the overall low morale and horrid technology in the workplace, our supervisor collectively wants all the team members to put in extra time, despite how
Asked on September 22, 2017 under Employment Labor Law, Massachusetts
Answers:
M.D., Member, California and New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 6 years ago | Contributor
Unless you have an employment contract or union agreement that guarantees the amount of hours that you can and cannot be scheduled to work, your employer can insist that you work overtime. As an "at will" worker, your company can set the conditions of your empoyment much as it sees fit (absent some form of actionable discrimination). If this is unacceptable, you can refuse the extra hours but risk termination or quit.
M.D., Member, California and New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 6 years ago | Contributor
Unless you have an employment contract or union agreement that guarantees the amount of hours that you can and cannot be scheduled to work, your employer can insist that you work overtime. As an "at will" worker, your company can set the conditions of your empoyment much as it sees fit (absent some form of actionable discrimination). If this is unacceptable, you can refuse the extra hours but risk termination or quit.
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