Is Off-the-Clock Work Illegal?

Is off-the-clock work illegal? Has your employer forced you to work off the clock? Have you clocked out and then received another assignment from your boss? Has your boss expected or insisted that you work through a rest or meal break?

Or maybe you’re an employer who employs a California worker who is purposely working additional, unassigned hours and then complaining about not being paid for them?

Once an employee clocks out, the time following that is theirs; they are not required to accomplish any more work unless they are being paid. If your employer is forcing you to work off the clock, they could be violating California’s labor laws.

That’s where the unpaid wage attorneys at Lawyers for Justice, PC come in.

Maybe you’re an ambitious employee who wants to stay at the office late to finish a project, or you’re a worker that is required to report to work early to help set up a worksite, “off-the-clock” work, or work that is unpaid or doesn’t count toward overtime, is often illegal. According to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which is a law that applies to most workers, most hourly employees should be paid overtime when working beyond 40 hours per week for all the work done for their employers.

Both employees and employers need to due their due diligence to prevent and/or remedy off-the-clock complications.

Employers should monitor their employee’s activity to ensure that even if they are working extra hours, those extra hours are permitted by the employer. If the employees stays at the office late and expects to be paid for work that was not assigned nor required, the employee’s extended office hours could turn into a problem. And likewise, employees need to monitor their clock-in and clock-out times to ensure that their paychecks are reflecting the correct amount of hours worked. If an employee was asked to work two hours longer on a Monday and their paycheck does not reflect the additional hours worked, the employer could be at fault.

At Lawyers for Justice, PC, our unpaid wage attorneys have fought hundreds of bully bosses who have forced their employees to work off the clock. If you feel like you’ve worked off the clock without being paid, call our offices today. The unpaid wage attorneys at LFJ work on a contingency basis, which means that underpaid employees do not have to pay any up-front fees to retain legal services. Our unpaid wage attorneys want to help. We have recovered millions of dollars over the past decade for our clients.

If you have questions, the unpaid wage attorneys at Lawyers for Justice, PC offer a FREE consultation to examine the intricacies of your specific case.

(818) JUSTICE or www.CallJustice.com. We stand up for our clients and get them what they are owed.