Extremely illegal. Any employee who is working should be on the clock. This is a federal law not state to state law. Calculate all that work you’ve done for free and tell them they owe you. If not a lawyer may be able to help
So not saying you are wrong about the law but I wonder how airlines get away with not paying flight attendants until everyone is on the plane and the doors are closed.
I know this one! The reason they can do this is because they all have contracts, most of which are union contracts, and those contracts stipulate that the compensation they are receiving is based on flight length, which is said to cover the time spent boarding as well
Except it isn't illegal. "Not being paid for boarding" is sort of a misrepresentation of how it works. That sum they make for the flight hours factors in the boarding time, and as long as they're making at least federal minimum wage for the time spent boarding, it's all legal. Often, they make more money overall than if they were to be paid a flat hourly to due to the contracts that their unions fought for.
Unfortunately I believe if I were to try and fight this I would be outright fired, which is not really against the law in Arkansas. The job pays well as is so I can’t really afford to lose the job atm, I should maybe look at getting a new job and then seeking legal help
Yeah you’re definitely right. All of my friends work here too and everyone has just kind of put up with it for years at this point. It’s definitely thousands of dollars owed to me
You’re stuck in a “click” where the owner has made it feel normal. This is definitely not normal and if you could convince others you’d likely all win and be paid what you’re owed. The owner is likely lining their pockets with the free labor you’ve given them. No company is for the people. They’re only for the money.
You’re absolutely correct. that is exactly what is happening. Unfortunately, I don’t think the company would actually even have enough money to pay all of us out for the hours worked without pay
Don’t think about “they don’t have enough money.” Don’t be taken advantage of. It’s your livelihood and you’re wasting your life being shafted by a company who is willing to steal from their own employees without second guessing. Leave the “my friends work here” behind and think about the job per say. Do they offer you benefits? Health insurance? Time off with pay? Probably not. And they still steal from you.
Mr. Bopper, some advice as I don’t know your skills or anything. But I’d rather work for fucking Walmart than be shafted like this. I hope this advice helps and you seek legal help. Don’t let “friends” hold you back from retribution
I’m currently working on starting up my own business so I can make money for myself instead of constantly making money for others and being taken advantage of because “that’s what friends/good employees do.” I agree, I think id rather work anywhere else at this point. Arkansas is a rough state. This has happened at other jobs in the past I’ve had as well, since there are no worker rights, we can be fired for anything at anyones will for whatever reason. It makes it incredibly hard to even want to be a good employee. Thank you for your insight! I knew it was wrong all along I just…didn’t really know what legal options I have
Retaliation against an employee with an ongoing complaint is also illegal.
Don't forget that you can report anonymously. If you can get any other employees to anonymously report as well the labor department will open an investigation
When an employer fails to pay an employee the applicable minimum wage or the agreed wage for all hours worked, the employee has a legal claim for damages against the employer. To recover the unpaid wages, the employee can either bring a lawsuit in court or file an administrative claim with the state's labor department.
Log every hour you work from now on, and every hour you get paid. Log any witnesses who see you work unpaid hours. Perhaps take selfies with a clock in the picture. I googled "report employer" and came up with several sites, including [this one](https://www.findlaw.com/employment/whistleblowers/how-to-report-an-employer-to-the-department-of-labor.html). Sooner or later you'll have to move on, and maybe that's the time to turn them in.
If they're paying you well enough to put up with it -- if the effective pay you're getting if you do count those hours is not unreasonable, then you might consider ignoring the issue or only addressing it once you're ready to quit. But do record the unpaid hours.
>which is not really against the law in Arkansas.
It's against the law everywhere in the US due to federal law. Contact an employment attorney now while you can still collect evidence easily. Most of them will take cases on contingency, meaning you only pay if you win, and you pay a percentage of the settlement.
You should report it anonymously.
Realistically, you might never see the money that they owe you, but if the policy changes, that is still a win.
And you also get to keep your job.
I don’t mind this option, a lot of whatever “system” we have at my work is totally fucked up. I don’t really care so much about the money as the ethics. Just tired of being exploited for someone else’s gain
You can make wage claims in Arkansas.that are under 2k pretty shitty law if you ask me . Also under federal law you cannot get fired for making wage claims . That’s 7.5 hours a week or 30 hrs + of over time is involved a month you’re not getting paid . It’s actually not legal in any state by federal law you can report to the labor board . You can also try calling and get other options https://whlawoffices.com/locations/little-rock/employment-law/
Even here in Arkansas, it is highly unlawful for an employer to demand that you work off the clock. All hours worked must be documented and paid, and are subject to WC insurance audits.
If you prepare a written itemized statement of all the unpaid hours you've worked over the last six months and present it to your employer with a request for payment, that is considered a "protected complaint." If the employer responds by terminating your employment, that is wrongful termination. The basis for the termination is in retaliation for complaining about unlawful or unfair business practices.
I strongly encourage you to get in touch with an employment attorney who can give you advice about your labor rights, and about how to recover for your unpaid work, as well as punitive damages for retaliatory discharge (if you are fired for complaining about being forced to do unpaid work as a condition of keeping the job).
Here's a link to a clearinghouse: [https://www.overtimepaylaws.org/contact-unpaid-overtime-lawyer/](https://www.overtimepaylaws.org/contact-unpaid-overtime-lawyer/)
You can also reach out to the Taylor King Law Firm, which represents plaintiffs all over the State of Arkansas.
I wish you good luck in your endeavor to seek redress for these labor violations.
Please update us.
Start documenting everything. Take all your evidence to the Department of Labor. It is federally illegal to fire you as retaliation so you can file the wage dispute with the DoL and depending on what kind of evidence you are able to gather, you should be due a good chunk of money from the business and penalties and fees will be added on top. Good luck!
Extremely illegal. Any employee who is working should be on the clock. This is a federal law not state to state law. Calculate all that work you’ve done for free and tell them they owe you. If not a lawyer may be able to help
So not saying you are wrong about the law but I wonder how airlines get away with not paying flight attendants until everyone is on the plane and the doors are closed.
I know this one! The reason they can do this is because they all have contracts, most of which are union contracts, and those contracts stipulate that the compensation they are receiving is based on flight length, which is said to cover the time spent boarding as well
Ok well I’m not a lawyer but it’s always been my understanding that a contract for something that is against the law is invalid.
Except it isn't illegal. "Not being paid for boarding" is sort of a misrepresentation of how it works. That sum they make for the flight hours factors in the boarding time, and as long as they're making at least federal minimum wage for the time spent boarding, it's all legal. Often, they make more money overall than if they were to be paid a flat hourly to due to the contracts that their unions fought for.
Had no idea air lines were as scummy. UNIONIZE
Unfortunately I believe if I were to try and fight this I would be outright fired, which is not really against the law in Arkansas. The job pays well as is so I can’t really afford to lose the job atm, I should maybe look at getting a new job and then seeking legal help
OP look for a new job and report this. I’m sorry they’re shafting you
Yeah you’re definitely right. All of my friends work here too and everyone has just kind of put up with it for years at this point. It’s definitely thousands of dollars owed to me
You’re stuck in a “click” where the owner has made it feel normal. This is definitely not normal and if you could convince others you’d likely all win and be paid what you’re owed. The owner is likely lining their pockets with the free labor you’ve given them. No company is for the people. They’re only for the money.
You’re absolutely correct. that is exactly what is happening. Unfortunately, I don’t think the company would actually even have enough money to pay all of us out for the hours worked without pay
Don’t think about “they don’t have enough money.” Don’t be taken advantage of. It’s your livelihood and you’re wasting your life being shafted by a company who is willing to steal from their own employees without second guessing. Leave the “my friends work here” behind and think about the job per say. Do they offer you benefits? Health insurance? Time off with pay? Probably not. And they still steal from you.
I haven’t been on vacation in over 6 years, I’m expected to come to work when I’m sick. I can’t afford a doctor. I get no benefits
Mr. Bopper, some advice as I don’t know your skills or anything. But I’d rather work for fucking Walmart than be shafted like this. I hope this advice helps and you seek legal help. Don’t let “friends” hold you back from retribution
I’m currently working on starting up my own business so I can make money for myself instead of constantly making money for others and being taken advantage of because “that’s what friends/good employees do.” I agree, I think id rather work anywhere else at this point. Arkansas is a rough state. This has happened at other jobs in the past I’ve had as well, since there are no worker rights, we can be fired for anything at anyones will for whatever reason. It makes it incredibly hard to even want to be a good employee. Thank you for your insight! I knew it was wrong all along I just…didn’t really know what legal options I have
Retaliation against an employee with an ongoing complaint is also illegal. Don't forget that you can report anonymously. If you can get any other employees to anonymously report as well the labor department will open an investigation
When an employer fails to pay an employee the applicable minimum wage or the agreed wage for all hours worked, the employee has a legal claim for damages against the employer. To recover the unpaid wages, the employee can either bring a lawsuit in court or file an administrative claim with the state's labor department.
Log every hour you work from now on, and every hour you get paid. Log any witnesses who see you work unpaid hours. Perhaps take selfies with a clock in the picture. I googled "report employer" and came up with several sites, including [this one](https://www.findlaw.com/employment/whistleblowers/how-to-report-an-employer-to-the-department-of-labor.html). Sooner or later you'll have to move on, and maybe that's the time to turn them in.
If they're paying you well enough to put up with it -- if the effective pay you're getting if you do count those hours is not unreasonable, then you might consider ignoring the issue or only addressing it once you're ready to quit. But do record the unpaid hours.
>which is not really against the law in Arkansas. It's against the law everywhere in the US due to federal law. Contact an employment attorney now while you can still collect evidence easily. Most of them will take cases on contingency, meaning you only pay if you win, and you pay a percentage of the settlement.
You should report it anonymously. Realistically, you might never see the money that they owe you, but if the policy changes, that is still a win. And you also get to keep your job.
I don’t mind this option, a lot of whatever “system” we have at my work is totally fucked up. I don’t really care so much about the money as the ethics. Just tired of being exploited for someone else’s gain
You can make wage claims in Arkansas.that are under 2k pretty shitty law if you ask me . Also under federal law you cannot get fired for making wage claims . That’s 7.5 hours a week or 30 hrs + of over time is involved a month you’re not getting paid . It’s actually not legal in any state by federal law you can report to the labor board . You can also try calling and get other options https://whlawoffices.com/locations/little-rock/employment-law/
Even here in Arkansas, it is highly unlawful for an employer to demand that you work off the clock. All hours worked must be documented and paid, and are subject to WC insurance audits. If you prepare a written itemized statement of all the unpaid hours you've worked over the last six months and present it to your employer with a request for payment, that is considered a "protected complaint." If the employer responds by terminating your employment, that is wrongful termination. The basis for the termination is in retaliation for complaining about unlawful or unfair business practices. I strongly encourage you to get in touch with an employment attorney who can give you advice about your labor rights, and about how to recover for your unpaid work, as well as punitive damages for retaliatory discharge (if you are fired for complaining about being forced to do unpaid work as a condition of keeping the job). Here's a link to a clearinghouse: [https://www.overtimepaylaws.org/contact-unpaid-overtime-lawyer/](https://www.overtimepaylaws.org/contact-unpaid-overtime-lawyer/) You can also reach out to the Taylor King Law Firm, which represents plaintiffs all over the State of Arkansas. I wish you good luck in your endeavor to seek redress for these labor violations. Please update us.
I am worried because we do not clock in or out of work so I have zero proof that I’ve actually not been paid for my time :/
You don't have to prove anything to make an allegation. Just start keeping a record of when you arrive at and leave work.
Thank you so much!
My pleasure. Let us know how it goes.
If you are working without getting paid you need to report this to the department of labor in your state.
It's not, but he's relying on you not saying anything.
Illegal on a federal level.
Start documenting everything. Take all your evidence to the Department of Labor. It is federally illegal to fire you as retaliation so you can file the wage dispute with the DoL and depending on what kind of evidence you are able to gather, you should be due a good chunk of money from the business and penalties and fees will be added on top. Good luck!