Texas Labor Laws....

[Chas_svo]

Big difference between doing what it takes and the employee taking the initiative, compared to being asked or told to work off the clock.

[LANTIRN]

Also, Texas is right to work state, so I think that does make it a right. Plus there is the whole ninth amendment thing going on as well.

[line-em-up]

...

How about a little loyalty to your employer. For years I used to do stuff off the clock when I ran a lube center. I'd come in early and stay late. I understood how important it was to my boss and when he could, he would throw a bonus in or let me take a long lunch etc. Although my rewards were few and far between, I knew he really appreciated it.

While working for the mortgage company, I was salary so they didn't care how many hours I worked. I was a damn slave to that place, but something inside me would never let me leave unless every last bit of my work was complete. I would strive to do my job to the best of my ability and some weeks I would put in 60+ hours for the same amount of pay! Screwed up part about that job was that I loved the job, but hated management!

Now that I own my own business, it is a huge help to me when my guys help with things that they don't necessarily get paid for. I don't make them do it and don't threaten to fire them if they don't want to help out, but when they do I hope they can see how much I appreciate what they've done. I go out of my way to help my employees when they need.

I guess I'm cut from an old piece of cloth though. A strong work ethic was pounded into from a young age. I remember watching my Dad work 80+ hours a week when I was a kid and I never remember him complaining. He was working hard to provide for his family and that's all he cared about. He was a commission paid route salesman. He fought for every last sale he could get and some weeks barely scratched out enough to provide for us. Then when I was old enough to work, I was helping my Granddad on Saturdays and Sundays while he was building fence panels. I never got paid for that, but the thought was that he was teaching me how to put in a day of hard work. Having these two men taught me a hard lesson! I know how to work hard, put in long hours for low pay, and smile the next morning when I get to work to do it all again.

Now to come full circle for the OP. If you don't like the job your wife is doing, then have her find another. No one said she has to work for free! Hell, she doesn't have to work at all if she doesn't want. Instead of stirring up shit for the employer just have her find another place of employment. She can stay with this job just long enough until she can find a replacement. Remember, it's a privilege to work and to have a job, not a right. Half of what's wrong with this country is people that are looking for ways to screw the system instead of just putting in a little extra effort to do their job.

Nice story. I'm glad someone is still willing to lift a finger without complaining.

As an employer, you know jobs don't grow on trees. People stay at the same shitty jobs longer than they want because decent jobs are hard to find. Employers, in general, like it that way so they can have the upper hand. Then, their employees will be feeling the pressure to do what they have to do to keep their shitty job. That's why they created labor laws.

Yea, she doesn't have to work at all. She can just quit, become homeless and live on the street. Sounds like a good plan. Thanks for the tip.

You talk about work ethic. I worked through the 80's and 90's. I saw how quickly the employer loyalty died after the baby boomers started taking over the company management. Because of that, the employee loyalty died with it. Now, along with the rest of society's issues, work loyalty is hard to come by. If people want to work together and create a good relationship, great. Otherwise, the laws are there to protect employees from getting shafted.

[ceyko]

How about a little loyalty to your employer. For years I used to do stuff off the clock when I ran a lube center. I'd come in early and stay late. I understood how important it was to my boss and when he could, he would throw a bonus in or let me take a long lunch etc. Although my rewards were few and far between, I knew he really appreciated it.

Understand that loyalty can only go so far, as employers are generally not the least bit loyal to their employees.

From the stories I've heard, if you busted your ass in the day an employer would do everything to hold on to you through good and bad. These days, you have a bad day and you're trimmed.

I believe in loyalty and my own work ethics, but generally I do it for myself/the team and not directly to make my employer happy. That's a side effect. Been screwed too many times by being loyal to my employer.

[yellowstang]

I'm sure the 27,000 HP employees getting laid off feel the loyalty ffrom the company. Take care of number 1, no job (unless it is a small business usually) will really care about it's employees, just the bottom line.

[Forever_frost]

Im union so I just show up 15 minutes late everyday to prevent this from happening. It works for me maybe your wife should try it.

JK I bet Frost's blood pressure just went up lol.

Not really. You're not telling me anything I didn't know

[Forever_frost]

How about a little loyalty to your employer. For years I used to do stuff off the clock when I ran a lube center. I'd come in early and stay late. I understood how important it was to my boss and when he could, he would throw a bonus in or let me take a long lunch etc. Although my rewards were few and far between, I knew he really appreciated it.

While working for the mortgage company, I was salary so they didn't care how many hours I worked. I was a damn slave to that place, but something inside me would never let me leave unless every last bit of my work was complete. I would strive to do my job to the best of my ability and some weeks I would put in 60+ hours for the same amount of pay! Screwed up part about that job was that I loved the job, but hated management!

Now that I own my own business, it is a huge help to me when my guys help with things that they don't necessarily get paid for. I don't make them do it and don't threaten to fire them if they don't want to help out, but when they do I hope they can see how much I appreciate what they've done. I go out of my way to help my employees when they need.

I guess I'm cut from an old piece of cloth though. A strong work ethic was pounded into from a young age. I remember watching my Dad work 80+ hours a week when I was a kid and I never remember him complaining. He was working hard to provide for his family and that's all he cared about. He was a commission paid route salesman. He fought for every last sale he could get and some weeks barely scratched out enough to provide for us. Then when I was old enough to work, I was helping my Granddad on Saturdays and Sundays while he was building fence panels. I never got paid for that, but the thought was that he was teaching me how to put in a day of hard work. Having these two men taught me a hard lesson! I know how to work hard, put in long hours for low pay, and smile the next morning when I get to work to do it all again.

Now to come full circle for the OP. If you don't like the job your wife is doing, then have her find another. No one said she has to work for free! Hell, she doesn't have to work at all if she doesn't want. Instead of stirring up shit for the employer just have her find another place of employment. She can stay with this job just long enough until she can find a replacement. Remember, it's a privilege to work and to have a job, not a right. Half of what's wrong with this country is people that are looking for ways to screw the system instead of just putting in a little extra effort to do their job.

So, an employer making an employee work for free, off the clock is okay with you because you're 'cut from an old piece of cloth?' Walmart got HAMMERED for this and I remember being told repeatedly for putting something together or helping customers off the clock. They'd go back and adjust my hours to reflect the 15 to 20 minutes I spent doing whatever just to cover themselves.

Yes, it's illegal. Document and then get your mother fucking movie check

[asphaltjunkie]

My wifes' work ethic is not in question here, so those of you making comparisons between your work ethic and my wifes' can take those comparisons and shove them up your ass.

My wife works 30-35 hours a week, plus just finished 18 hours of classes after work, sometimes not getting home til after 9pm depending on the day. Now, 4 days a week after work and on saturdays, she works another 20-25 hours a week for Jordan healthcare services as a provider taking care of her 85yo grandmother (medicare/insurance pays for the service so her grandmother doesn't have to pay out of pocket) so she still doesn't get home til after 7pm. She busts her ass at that fucking daycare every goddamned day, and every day, they ask her to do shit before she clocks in, tells her that she can't do productive work stuff if she has spare time to do it, that she has to be off the clock to do those things. And this shit doesn't just happen to her. All the teachers get told these things. The place has such a high turnaround it's rediculous. Plus, my wife has almost 10 years of experience in childcare and teaching, and already has her bachelors' degree in english. Only 3 of the other 12 or so teachers/staff there have more experience than her, and they only pay her $8.25 an hour.

And a little background on the daycare itself...
The parents pay $125 a week for their kids to go there. There are @ 100 +/- kids at this daycare. In a good year, thats almost $500,000. This daycare is in a 1960s era 3/2 house thats been shoddily rennovated and added onto multiple times to make room for all these kids. 75% of the time the owner refuses to, or throws a fit when she has to, purchase supplies for the classrooms, and when she does its the cheapest shit she can find. This place looks like hell, yet the owner lives in a >10 y/o house that's approximately worth $375k-$425k easy, and that's east texas out in the woods money...huge fucking house...damn nice house, tho... The owner throws a fit when anyone goes over @35 hours, cause thats too close to 40 for her, cause she's cheap and doesn't want to have to pay insurance to anybody. And, even though this place makes money hand over fist, they still have multiple fundraisers throughout the year to pay for shit like the security cameras/system, playground equipment, etc...all shit that could easily be paid for with the tuition, imo.

The reason my wife still works there is because of her school schedule...they're the only place she could find where she could do both. Until she starts student teaching next semester, that is.

Sent from my LGL45C using Tapatalk 2

[Roscoe]

One anonymous call to the Department of Labor will open up a case that will be investigated with a quickness, and any negative findings will change the daycare owner's viewpoint in a heartbeat.

http://www.dol.gov/whd/america2.htm#Texas

Dallas District Office
US Dept. of Labor
Wage & Hour Division
The Offices @ Brookhollow
1701 E. Lamar Blvd., Suite 270, Box 22
Arlington, TX 76006-7303
Phone:
(817) 861-2150
1-866-4-USWAGE
(1-866-487-9243)

[FastFox]

Kyle has it figured out. If you don't like what you are asked to do, go work at another place. I am not saying you should be taken advantage of, but just move on. Also, if you start something with a lawyer, that stuff gets out, and no one will want to hire you. Just find other employment.

[stinginstang]

Now that I own my own business, it is a huge help to me when my guys help with things that they don't necessarily get paid for. .

I wouldn't have them working off the clock. It's great when you all get along, but what happens when the employee gets dissatisfied with their job and demands to be paid for all this time?

[yellowstang]

One anonymous call to the Department of Labor will open up a case that will be investigated with a quickness, and any negative findings will change the daycare owner's viewpoint in a heartbeat.

http://www.dol.gov/whd/america2.htm#Texas

Dallas District Office
US Dept. of Labor
Wage & Hour Division
The Offices @ Brookhollow
1701 E. Lamar Blvd., Suite 270, Box 22
Arlington, TX 76006-7303
Phone:
(817) 861-2150
1-866-4-USWAGE
(1-866-487-9243)

Hey, I work in that building! LOL, actually they are straight above our office that's on the 1st floor.

[Chili]

Bottom line, and this is fact, is that non-exempt (hourly) employees must be paid for ALL time worked. This situation is especially bad because they are REQUIRING it. But even if an employee decides to work extra time on their own, employers MUST still pay them or they will be subject to civil liability and fines.

This is a HUGE no-no.

BTW, that is Federal Law, not State. It is covered under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

Typical Problems

Problems arise when employers fail to recognize and count certain hours worked as compensable hours. For
example, an employee who remains at his/her desk while eating lunch and regularly answers the telephone and
refers callers is working. This time must be counted and paid as compensable hours worked because the
employee has not been completely relieved from duty.

Where to Obtain Additional Information
For additional information, visit our Wage and Hour Division Website: http://www.wagehour.dol.gov

and/or call our toll-free information and helpline, available 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in your time zone, 1-866-
4USWAGE (1-866-487-9243). This publication is for general information and is not to be considered in the
same light as official statements of position contained in the regulations.

U.S. Department of Labor

Frances Perkins Building
200 Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20210

1-866-4-USWAGE

TTY: 1-866-487-9243

Contact Us

[TexasT]

What does work ethic and not getting paid have to do with each other? It ain't a hobby. I come to work for just that. If I am unhappy I find another place of employ. I've called in one day in the last three or so years and two of those were night jobs as that was what I could find at the time to pay the bills. Oh, that one call in was to go to a pre-employment physical for the next job. I have worked all the days in the two week notice period.

Bottom line, if she is working she needs to be on the clock. Hit those places above, I bet there is an investigator chomping at the bit to start an investigation.

[lowthreeohz]

Anyone who thinks employees should work for free is out of their fucking mind.