Most people would agree that spending your days at work counting down the minutes till you can leave is unhealthy and you should probably look for alternative work.
Yet a certain amount of clock-watching is crucial to ensure you get paid for what you work. However much you enjoy your job, there is no point in working for free.
Employers often take advantage of people a few minutes at a time
Most employers realize that if they ask you to stay another hour, you’ll expect them to pay you for it. Yet people often work hours for free. It’s just that they do so a few minutes at a time. Here are some ways that can occur:
- Early starts: You arrive at work early and your boss comes in and says that you may as well get cracking as there is lots to do.
- Late finishes: Your boss asks you to finish what you are doing, or to give them a quick hand with something even though the workday has already finished.
- Shortened breaks: It does not matter how busy things are, you are still entitled to the full amount of rest and meal breaks set out in your contract. You should not have to shorten or miss them because it’s busy or your boss is keen to finish something or get going again.
While a few minutes might seem insignificant the time, they can soon add up, especially if this is something that happens to many employees in your company. Multiply a few minutes per day by however many employees the company has and you can see your employer may be saving thousands of dollars in wages over the year. You have a right to be paid properly and if you have not been, it’s wise to learn more about your legal options.