Unpaid Wages / Off The Clock Work
Common Examples of “Off the Clock Work” Which Occur Either Before or After You Have Formally Clocked In or Out for Your Shift That You Must Be Compensated For Include:
- Time spent changing into and out of company required clothing, uniforms and/or protective gear
- Time spent waiting in line to check in/out and actually checking in/out the tools and equipment necessary for you to do your job
- Time spent attending pre or post shift meetings
- Time spent preparing your work station before your shift or cleaning up your work station after your shift
- Time spent waiting for computer programs and systems to "boot up" or come on-line
- Time spent waiting in line and receiving security screenings or going through metal detectors both before and after your scheduled shift start and end times
- Time spent traveling to and from the work site using employer required transportation
- Time spent working from home
- Time spent checking/responding to e-mails either before or after your scheduled shift start and end times
Employers Are NOT Allowed to “Round” Your Work Time!
It is a common practice for employers to use electronic timekeeping systems which illegally “round” their employees’ start and end times, resulting in employees being paid for less time than they actually work.
Examples of illegal “rounding” practices of shift start and end times include the following:
Your scheduled shift start time is 8:00 a.m. and your scheduled shift end time is 5:00 p.m. However, you clock in at 7:45 a.m. to attend a pre‑shift meeting, gather tools and equipment, prepare your workstation, boot up your computer, or change into your uniform.
At the end of your shift, you clock out at 5:15 p.m. because you return tools, change out of your uniform, or attend a post‑shift meeting. Even though you worked from 7:45 a.m. to 5:15 p.m., the system rounds your time to 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., shorting you 30 minutes per shift.