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required to do over time by management?

V

vital

Platinum Member
I was informed by my boss that the director did a review of all the employees' work hours and noted that there were a few people who didn't put in enough overtime hours and I was one of them. We're all paid salary so there isn't any incentive for working OT. I usually end up with around 40-43 hours a week but the director insists that as a professional, we should be working 50+ hr weeks? My boss told me he doesn't think it's a big deal but just wanted to let me know and I can take it however I want. He also told me that he's been happy with my work and to keep it up. So are employers allowed to force their employees to work OT when on salary?
 
Look up your state labor laws on salaried employees regarding overtime and if they fall under the "exempt" category.

Basically, if you're an exempt salaried employee, they can make you work a lot.
 
Unless you have a contract that specifically states a maximum number of hours per work week (ie 40hrs), they can ask you to work as many hours as they want. (because you are on salary and not hourly wage) at least that's what I think at this hour of night when I'm not thinking straight 😀
 
No. They cannot. Though most salaried employees end up working 45-55 hours a week, they cannot be "forced" to do so. However, if the employee is failing to complete tasks but still leaving after 40 hours, then that employee will be in trouble as far as performance reviews.

Your director sounds a bit overzealous, or his budget has been cut and he's trying to squeeze extra work from his existing employees.

EDIT: To be clearer: The employer cannot mandate an amount of hours from a salaried employee. However, they can give enough tasks to make the average person need 50+ hours a week to complete those tasks and then fire you if you leave at 40 hours without completing the tasks.

For example, if your company is international and you are required to be in the office early in the morning to take calls from Europe and to be there for meetings at the close of US business day, then it's guaranteed that you'll work more than 40 hours in a week, but they cannot specify the hours, only that you are required to be on those calls.

At least, this is my understanding.

ZV
 
In sunny CA, they can pretty much work you to death and not pay you for it, as long as you're exempt. Some employers really go overboard with it, requiring 50 or even 60 hours a week, fifty weeks a year. A friend of mine managed a Home Depot, and they wanted 12 hours a day out of him, unless one of the ASM's called in sick, then it was six twelve hour days a week. Slavery is alive and well.
 
Originally posted by: Greenman
In sunny CA, they can pretty much work you to death and not pay you for it, as long as you're exempt. Some employers really go overboard with it, requiring 50 or even 60 hours a week, fifty weeks a year. A friend of mine managed a Home Depot, and they wanted 12 hours a day out of him, unless one of the ASM's called in sick, then it was six twelve hour days a week. Slavery is alive and well.
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Work to live, not live to work.

Six 12 hour days? Man...
 
Originally posted by: Alone
Originally posted by: Greenman
In sunny CA, they can pretty much work you to death and not pay you for it, as long as you're exempt. Some employers really go overboard with it, requiring 50 or even 60 hours a week, fifty weeks a year. A friend of mine managed a Home Depot, and they wanted 12 hours a day out of him, unless one of the ASM's called in sick, then it was six twelve hour days a week. Slavery is alive and well.
Click to expand...

Work to live, not live to work.

Six 12 hour days? Man...
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Not common though. HD managers only work 5 days a week, and SOP calls for 11 hour days. During times like inventory, they can be expected to work extra hours.
 
Originally posted by: Alone
Originally posted by: Greenman
In sunny CA, they can pretty much work you to death and not pay you for it, as long as you're exempt. Some employers really go overboard with it, requiring 50 or even 60 hours a week, fifty weeks a year. A friend of mine managed a Home Depot, and they wanted 12 hours a day out of him, unless one of the ASM's called in sick, then it was six twelve hour days a week. Slavery is alive and well.
Click to expand...

Work to live, not live to work.

Six 12 hour days? Man...
Click to expand...

I like my job, I'm not salaried (so I get payed for the extra time), my commute time is virtually zero, I'm only FT 8 months a year, and I get more exercise than I could possibly get spending an hour or two a day at the gym (thus saving me time I would othereise spend).

And I still don't think I could do 6x12 weeks. Although 5x12 and 5 more on Saturday is pretty normal.
 
Fortunately that's not the case where I work at right now. I'm paid hourly (previous position was salaried) and we worked so much overtime last year that the upper management came down hard on our management for the overtime budget. I had a co-worker put in as much as 20 hours on a weekly basis in overtime and when you're paid time and a half of our salary that's a fair chunk of change. Most we can work is 5 hours overtime a week and our management wants us to use as little overtime as possible.
 
Originally posted by: vital
I was informed by my boss that the director did a review of all the employees' work hours and noted that there were a few people who didn't put in enough overtime hours and I was one of them. We're all paid salary so there isn't any incentive for working OT. I usually end up with around 40-43 hours a week but the director insists that as a professional, we should be working 50+ hr weeks? My boss told me he doesn't think it's a big deal but just wanted to let me know and I can take it however I want. He also told me that he's been happy with my work and to keep it up. So are employers allowed to force their employees to work OT when on salary?
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I was forced to worked more than the salary contract that I signed, and eventually I quit & am currently happy working in the trades.

<-- dreaming at starting my own mechanical/geothermal company in the future.

 
Originally posted by: Greenman
In sunny CA, they can pretty much work you to death and not pay you for it, as long as you're exempt. Some employers really go overboard with it, requiring 50 or even 60 hours a week, fifty weeks a year. A friend of mine managed a Home Depot, and they wanted 12 hours a day out of him, unless one of the ASM's called in sick, then it was six twelve hour days a week. Slavery is alive and well.
Click to expand...
Why not quit?
 
Originally posted by: her209
Originally posted by: Greenman
In sunny CA, they can pretty much work you to death and not pay you for it, as long as you're exempt. Some employers really go overboard with it, requiring 50 or even 60 hours a week, fifty weeks a year. A friend of mine managed a Home Depot, and they wanted 12 hours a day out of him, unless one of the ASM's called in sick, then it was six twelve hour days a week. Slavery is alive and well.
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Why not quit?
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No kidding... I hear so many people complain about their jobs -- the long hours, the hateful coworkers, etc. They don't seem to realize it's VOLUNTARY. Comparisons to slavery are ridiculous. If the situation is really that intolerable find a new job.
 
Originally posted by: vital
I was informed by my boss that the director did a review of all the employees' work hours and noted that there were a few people who didn't put in enough overtime hours and I was one of them. We're all paid salary so there isn't any incentive for working OT. I usually end up with around 40-43 hours a week but the director insists that as a professional, we should be working 50+ hr weeks? My boss told me he doesn't think it's a big deal but just wanted to let me know and I can take it however I want. He also told me that he's been happy with my work and to keep it up. So are employers allowed to force their employees to work OT when on salary?
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Occupation?
 
Originally posted by: hjo3
No kidding... I hear so many people complain about their jobs -- the long hours, the hateful coworkers, etc. They don't seem to realize it's VOLUNTARY. Comparisons to slavery are ridiculous. If the situation is really that intolerable find a new job.
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The forms I signed at just about any place I've worked say that the employment is voluntary for both parties, employer and employee. It's my understanding that slaves don't even get the forms telling them that their employment is involuntary, and that there will be no coffee breaks.
 
Originally posted by: Greenman
In sunny CA, they can pretty much work you to death and not pay you for it, as long as you're exempt. Some employers really go overboard with it, requiring 50 or even 60 hours a week, fifty weeks a year. A friend of mine managed a Home Depot, and they wanted 12 hours a day out of him, unless one of the ASM's called in sick, then it was six twelve hour days a week. Slavery is alive and well.
Click to expand...

NEVER work a retail job on salary, that is pretty normal actually.
 
Originally posted by: dartworth
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Originally posted by: dartworth
:thumbsup: to unions🙂
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You've got to be joking.

ZV
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Nope.

The union I belong too prevents things like this from happening...
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At what cost? What say do you have, personally, about what's what? If the union goes on strike, what are your options? You go on strike or you are outcast. You pay heavy dues, and what do you really get for those dues? You can only do the job according to the job description. How boring. No new learning opportunities unless it's approved by the union. I live to learn, I don't live to feed a union boss' family.

 
Originally posted by: vital
I was informed by my boss that the director did a review of all the employees' work hours and noted that there were a few people who didn't put in enough overtime hours and I was one of them. We're all paid salary so there isn't any incentive for working OT. I usually end up with around 40-43 hours a week but the director insists that as a professional, we should be working 50+ hr weeks? My boss told me he doesn't think it's a big deal but just wanted to let me know and I can take it however I want. He also told me that he's been happy with my work and to keep it up. So are employers allowed to force their employees to work OT when on salary?
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Yes, you can be directed to work, with OT pay. By law, you can not be forced to work more than 40 hours if salaried.

Bottom line is ... get your work don on time. If they compalin, tell them to die a miserable death.
 
Man, I am salaried and work waaaaaaaay less hours than I am supposed to. 🙂 I wouldn't mind overtime if I had to though, my job is more like a hangout than a job. :thumbsup:
 
The way people throw around the word "slavery" in this thread, I don't think they understand what it means. I would LOVE to see a few people here made slaves to work sixteen hours, get beaten for their efforts, get very little food, and get raped by the boss for good measure. That's slavery.
 
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