Work Hours: Overtime, Breaks, and More
Learn the legal rules that apply to the "hour" side of wage and hour law, including what counts as an hour worked (for which you must be paid), whether employers have to offer meal and rest breaks, and when employers can impose furloughs, hour cuts, or pay cuts, all too common responses to tough economic times.
The section also explains the law of overtime, including who is entitled to it, how must you get, what state laws require, and what to do if your employer doesn't pay you for the overtime you work.
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Overtime Pay: Your Rights as an Employee
Learn when employees are entitled to overtime pay.
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Since the Great Depression in the 1930s, most employers in the United States have been legally required to pay overtime to eligible employees who work more than 40 hours in a week. The original purpose of this rule was to spread the work around and get as many people as possible off the unemployment rolls.
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When a work day or other pay period begins and ends is determined by a law called the Portal-to-Portal Pay Act. (29 U.S.C.
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Furloughs, Hour Cuts, and Pay Cuts: Your Rights
In an effort to avoid or minimize layoffs, many employers have cut employee hours.
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Meal and Rest Breaks: Your Rights as an Employee
An employee's right to take meal and rest breaks depends on state law.
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State Laws on Meal and Rest Breaks
Contrary to the laws of gastronomy, federal law does not require that you be allotted or paid for breaks to eat meals.
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If you take a lot of business trips, you might be wondering whether you are getting paid enough.
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Understanding the “White-Collar” Exemptions
One of the most costly mistakes that a business can make is misclassifying its employees as exempt.
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