Posted on 05/31/2007 9:19:18 AM PDT by Sub-Driver
Class-Action Case Vs. Walmart Certified In N.J.
(CBS/AP) NEWARK, N.J. The state Supreme Court on Thursday certified a class-action lawsuit against Wal-Mart Stores Inc. by New Jersey employees who claim that the nation's largest retailer denied them meal and rest breaks, and forced them to work off-the-clock.
The 5-1 ruling by New Jersey's highest court revives the workers' lawsuit, which had been denied class-action status by a trial judge and an appellate panel.
The decision was welcomed by a lawyer for the workers, Judith L. Spanier, who said the class would contain about 80,000 current and former Wal-Mart employees. She said similar cases were pending in other states.
(Excerpt) Read more at wcbstv.com ...
This is SOP for Wal Mart. Good to see that their money isn’t enough to buy all of the judiciary.
...or what? They don't pay you? Only an idiot would do this.
My understanding is in Wal-Mart's case, employees work extra time by choice in order to make their goals, not under implicit threat of termination.
That's true at a lot of companies, and it's a mug's game. I learned the hard way a very long time ago that if I need to work overtime to reach the objectives set for me, then it's time to look for a new job.
Are we talking hourly or salaried? In my experience, white collar salaried positions in the US require 60 or more hours per week to succeed and provide two weeks of vacation that you rarely get to use.
I worked for Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour in high school. One of the assistant managers would often clock people out right at "closing time", yet require them to work until the kitchen and dining room were spotless and ready for the next day. A genuine, criminal asshole. The last I heard of that guy is that he's a convicted felon on the run in Mexico.
Simple solution: do not allow barley to run a cash register. LMASO
I decided that I needed to distinguish my value to my employer vs the clock watchers in my work group. My income today is more than triple what my "peers" in that group are making. I've been salaried since 1980. The overtime had no impact on my bi-weekly paycheck, but it made a huge difference on my annual evaluations, promotions and pay raises.
Nope, much better to employ it in making beer!
As for unpaid overtime, that exists all over the place. When people are desperate to keep even a crappy job, it happens.
It’s pretty simple to me. If you’re not paying me, I’m not working for you. You don’t have the leverage to “force” me to do anything.
Very true. My comp leave was a 537 hours on Monday of this week. I'm selling 40 hours this week and 80 more hours in December. I've been so busy this time card period that I'm deferring the 8 hour holiday time for Memorial Day for some time in the future. That deferral must be used before Feb 1, 2008. I'm expected to have 80 hours of direct chargeable labor on each time card (or take enough leave hours to fill to 80). Any time worked beyond 80 hours is recorded as uncompensated overtime. My supervisor knows exactly how much effort is put forth and on what contracts.
I had worked 69 hours between Monday morning and Friday evening last week. One of my contracts is in "crunch time" delivery mode, so lots of extra time is necessary for testing before the delivery.
My HO agrees with your HO. :-)
You get what you pay for.
It's an important, profound bit of wisdom that should never be forgotten.
I struggled with the decision but I lost. ;-)
No problem. My employment contract is "at will". My employer or I can terminate the relationship at any time for any reason or no reason at all. I enjoy my work and the paycheck is pretty decent. When I cease to enjoy it, I'll do something else. I had a supervisor who sent me a layoff notice in June 2002 when the customer on my contract decided to go out of business. No problem. I took a week of vacation, tracked down $3 million in new business and took it to another supervisor who was more ethical. That ended the layoff. The guy who sent me the layoff notice is no longer a company employee. The company found a good reason to no longer employ him.
The company I work for. I have know people who were given 3 weeks work to do in 2 weeks and they were strongly urged to be “flexible and get it done”. Even if that meant working late, working through breaks and lunches, or coming early. And only paying a 40 hour week. It happens a lot.
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