Working Off the Clock, How Much Is Too Much?

The Wall Street Journal has word of yet another suit against an employer who required an "always on" mentality to persist because of easily available communications. Most of us working in some sort of tech related job are working more than 40 hours per week (or at least lead the lifestyle of always working), but how much is too much? What methods have others used in the past to help an employer see the line between work and personal life without resorting to a legal attack? "Greg Rasin, a partner at Proskauer Rose LLP, a New York business law firm, said the recession may spawn wage-and-hour disputes as employers try to do the same amount of work with fewer people. The federal Fair Labor Standards Act says employees must be paid for work performed off the clock, even if the work was voluntary. When the law was passed in 1938, 'work' was easy to define for hourly employees, said Mr. McCoy. As the workplace changed, so did the rules for when workers should be paid."

Comments

Re:US laws are not the best

[ClosedSource]

"Yeah man, AMERIKKKA sure is an unlivable hellhole, isn't it? Oh wait, it's the wealthiest, most powerful nation on the planet."

Sure, and we have Bill Gates in the US, the wealthiest man on the planet, so why should anyone complain? True, it doesn't mean you can afford healthcare but remember, we have Bill frickin Gates on our team!

Re:US laws are not the best

[mjwx]

We know. But the EU doesn't hire Americans.

Well if you Americans learned to drive on the correct side of the road, speak proper English or could make a decent beer the Europeans might accept you.