I'm working 30 hours in a 39 hour period, can anyone tell me if this is legal?

[SlitherinSisters]

My work has just been using and abusing me lately!!! UGH! I'm starting to lose my sanity now. I've been at work since 6pm last night, it's now 9:30 in the morning and I just got out of my first class.....which means I worked all night then came straight to class after 13.5 hours!!! To make matters worse I had already worked 15 hours 9 hours before work started again last night at 6! (confusing I know!)

Now the schedule came out for September and every weekend I'm working Saturday 5pm to 9am (16 hours) then coming in 8 hours later, working 5pm to 7:30am (13.5 hours). Is this even legal!?! I know you have to have 8 hours between shifts but I'm working 29.5 hours in a 37.5 hour period, then going straight to class and not getting home to sleep for another 8 hours.

We did have two people quit last week and I understand the schedule is crazy, but no one is working over time (because they don't want to pay it) and they are making me work 30 hours in a day and a half to make up for everyone so they don't have overtime.

I did agreed to work two 12 hour shifts every weekend (Sat 9pm to 9am and Sun 9pm to 7:30am-so I can make it to class). I did NOT agree to work essentially two double shifts in a row!!!!!

I am heated and will be calling my boss this afternoon/morning and telling her she needs to get this fixed or she will have 3 positions to fill and I won't be giving her the curiosity of a two week notice. PLEASE!!! Someone back me up and tell me this is illegal!

BTW I work with disabled people who live in a group home of sorts (5 people) and I work by myself until the next person comes in.

[Nate]

Not sure if it's legal...

It's definitely illegal if you're not getting compensated for that time.

Two things will happen, if you stick it out.

1) They will continue to take advantage of you

2) They will see you working hard and possibly give you a raise...i dunno how your company works. If you're in a position where you need to ask for a raise, then you can use this to your advantage

[SlitherinSisters]

Nobody ever gets a raise in my job. Everyone makes the same, part time or full time, even our "team lead" who does way more work than the rest of us makes the same. They got her to do the job by telling her she would get a raise during the next budgeting....it's been 6 months since then.

[Egapal]

Well it probably depends on where you live but it sounds legal to me. People work back to back doubles all the time. The fact that you have a class to throw in the mix falls under the category of "your problem."

Lets put it another way for people. Who here would wake up Monday morning and go to work for 8am. Then work till Midnight, go home, go to sleep and get up Tuesday morning for work at 8am, work till 9:30. Go to work on Wednesday at 8am and work till 6:30pm. Then have 4 days off, Thursday - Sunday? I would. I would work a 3 day week in a heart beat.

Your class makes that schedule suck but thats not your employers fault. A lot of people would work that shift if given the choice.

[nixer]

16 hours is legal. obviously your entitled to breaks and lunch
they are only required to give you 8 hours between shifts
unfortunately most states do not require overtime pay for more than 8 hours

[SlitherinSisters]

Yes I would gladly work the shift if I didn't have class. But that's the thing....I do have class, and it's much more important to me than this job.

That's what irks me so much! The people who work full time don't see the problem because they forget I have class. If you add up all my class time, work hours, and study time I'm working 63 hours a week, a hell of a lot more than anyone who works full time, at my job at least.

[Nate]

I do have class, and it's much more important to me than this job.

Well, there you go

I would ask to talk with your boss and kindly let them know that ^^^ what you just said. If he doesn't understand that, then it may be time to move on..yeh know?

[SlitherinSisters]

Sigh....I was hoping there was some sort of law that was a bit different for double shifts.

Bummer, I was hoping to have more to back me up. Oh well, I'll just call her and let her know how I feel. We absolutely cannot afford to lose another person so I'm almost positive she will figure out something for me. If she doesn't, I don't ***care*** (edited for viewer purposes) at this point. I'm exhausted! There's always more jobs and I've never spent more than a week looking for one so I'm not entirely worried if she is crazy enough to let me "deal with my own problems". I live out in the middle of no where and last time they were hiring it took them over a month to find ONE part time person.

(we do have other employees at other sites that could be brought in in dire situations)

[Egapal]

Yes I would gladly work the shift if I didn't have class. But that's the thing....I do have class, and it's much more important to me than this job.

That's what irks me so much! The people who work full time don't see the problem because they forget I have class. If you add up all my class time, work hours, and study time I'm working 63 hours a week, a hell of a lot more than anyone who works full time, at my job at least.

But again the point is that people don't and shouldn't have to consider what you do with your free time. The fact that you have class is only relevant to you. So if you can't do both then you need to make changes but its certainly not your employers responsibility to accommodate your class schedule. On a personal note I feel your pain. I work 50 hour weeks as a salary employee and have worked 80 hour weeks with no extra compensation. I knew what I was getting into when I took the position. I complain to my girlfriend sometimes but even she tells me that I should just get another job if I don't like it.

[monk90222]

If you add up all my class time, work hours, and study time I'm working 63 hours a week, a hell of a lot more than anyone who works full time, at my job at least.

You should work in the entertainment industry...that is a light week for me!