Is it legal for a boss to cut hoursand wages?
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Is it legal for a boss to cut hoursand wages?
I am the sole employee of this business. Every one else is contract labor. My boss came to me 8 months ago and said that there was going to be a cut in my pay of around $100. About a month later, my hours were reduced from 40 to 24. They have been that way since. I need to know if there is something I can do legally because there is another woman in the office who only got the 1st $100 cut but continues to work 40 hours.
Asked on December 3, 2011 under Employment Labor Law, Texas
Answers:
M.D., Member, California and New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
First of all, in an at will employment relationship an employee can generally set the terms and conditions of the workplace as it sees fit and deems necessary. This includes matters of wage increases/decreases and scheduled hours. For their part, an employee can work for an employer or not, their choice. This is as long as there is no conrolling company ploicy, employment contract or union agreement to the contrary.
Also, no form of actionable discrimination must be a factor in the employee's treatment. Yet while seemingly unfair your treatment does not appear to violate any laws. As a general rule, employees do not have to be treated equally or even fairly. It is perfectly permissible to give one employee more favorable treatment than another as long as such treatment is not due to theirr status in a legally protected class, that would be against the law. You however, gave no indication this was the case.
Note: A protected class would be one based on inclusion due to such factors as: race, religion, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, national origin.
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