What can I do if my boss pays me strictly for the hours I’m doing work and not for the time I’m actually there?
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What can I do if my boss pays me strictly for the hours I’m doing work and not for the time I’m actually there?
My boss and I got in an argument because he said I
Asked on May 22, 2016 under Employment Labor Law, Ohio
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 7 years ago | Contributor
Your boss is breaking the law: an hourly employee must be paid for all hours that he or she is *at work*, whether those hours are all productive or not. Time in meetings, time talking to a coworker, time organzing your desk or files...that's all work time, if it is time spent at a location (e.g. the office) that the employer wants you to be at, during hours the employer wants you there. If the employer doesn't pay you for all hours you are at work, you could contact the state department of labor to file a wage and hour complaint.
There are, of course, things that an employer can do if it feels an employee is wasting time, stealing time, or generally unproductive. The employer could reduce their pay, wages, or salary; cut their hours; demote them; transfer them to a less-desirable job or shift; suspend them; even fire them. There are many ways that an employer can legally deal with an employee whom it feels isn't pulling his/her weight. It's just that not paying them for all time worked is not one of those ways.
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