What is Text Shorthand For Overtime?
What happens when hourly employees are assigned Blackberrys or IPhones by their employer and compelled to respond to emails and text messages after the 8 hour shift? The marketing of such devices offers the plus side that such technology brings the office home or anywhere the employees happen to be. A number of legal scholars are hinting that such after-hours communicating is overtime work.
Everyone has heard or even uttered the complaint that the new technology puts them on call 24/7. No doubt attorneys and other hourly service providers are beginning to bill their clients for out of office time spent responding to emails. Logic would suggest that employees who find their employers are essentially getting their precious time for free may have a claim under wage and hour laws for the time spent out of the work place working. And employers may need to restrict the use of such devices for work related activity unless they are willing to pay for their employees’ time.
It’s a brave new world.
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