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Wed 17 May, 2006 06:02 am
Asking about weekend overtime pay
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Hi. I have been working for a copy company for 2 years. We have a scheduled weekend work so that every employee works on weekends 1 out of 5 weeks. Sometimes the workload is big, so management asks people who are not scheduled to work on weekends. They can refuse to work. I almost always say yes. A lot of times I work alone operating 5 copy machines, instead of 1. We are not paid overtime for a weekend work, unless its more then 80 hours per 2 week pay period. Sometimes we work only 75 hours for 2 week, so weekend work can add 5 more hours towards 80 hours of normal pay and I get 3 extra hours of overtime pay if I work 8 hours on weekend. But since I operate 5 machines and I am not scheduled to work on that weekend, I want my manager to give me overtime pay for every hour worked on a weekend. Besides this, the company owes me some unpaid break time which amounts to about $400, we both know it but I don't do anything hoping to get a compansation in another form, like accepting my weekend overtime pay proposition. What is the most ethical way to approach this negotiation? My communication and business ethics skills are not very good and I don't want to loose a career because of some small detail that I did wrong. Thank you.
I have nothing legal or very helpful to tell you except I suggest you make a clear list of times you worked adn pay you are owed,approach the relevant person to discuss it or arrange a meeting.If they are busy make sure you carry on persuing the issue.
Its your time and money!!
Unless your job is something that is legally exempt from overtime requirements, what they are doing is illegal under federal law. Overtime pay is required for time worked over 40 hours in one week. They may pay bi-weekly, or whatever, but are not allowed to use 80 hrs as the overtime pay basis. One week of fifty hours, combined with one week of thirty hours comes to 70 hours straight time and 10 hours overtime. Now, if you are asking a diplomatic way of telling the company it is breaking the law, I don't have a good answer.
The 40 hour rule, by the way, has nothing to do with the particular days worked, only the week within which they are worked. It is possible to work Christmas day, for example, at the straight time rate.
Material Girl reminds me that not everyone on forum lives and works in the U.S. My answer only applies in the United States.
Diplomatic way of telling the company its breaking the law!!
Be civil and factual the first time then if they do nothing, forget diplomacy.
They cant expect you to work for free.
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