Have you ever heard of time theft? Time theft is defined as an employer not completing work in the time that they are getting paid for. For example, when an employee does not get to work on time but gets their friend to clock in for them. Another example is when an employee spends too much personal time while at work or when people take too long of breaks or too many breaks when they aren’t required to clock out. These are examples of time theft. It is a phrase that companies use to let their employees know that they are not using their time wisely and therefore wasting the company’s time and money. Employers are getting paid for doing work not for working on their own things at work.
Companies commit to behaviors that may seem overbearing or micromanaging to reduce the amount of time theft happens in an office. For example, they may place blocks on a certain site so employers cannot access them. Companies will invest in advanced biometric devices to ensure that only one person can clock in at a time via a thumbprint or retinal scanners. These kinds of services are used to remind employers that they are at work and must be using company time to address company issues, not personal issues.
Some do not think any of this is wrong. Why shouldn’t a company keep up after where their money is going? An employer should be viewing their company paychecks and behaviors with as much scrutiny as employees do. Long gone are the days when companies trusted their employees and vice versa. Nowadays, neither can be trusted, but employees are still reserved in claiming the ugly truths of companies. As much as employees may attempt at time theft, companies are just as guilty of not paying their employers.
For example, a few Apple Retail workers found that the expected bag checkouts were actually stealing time away from an employee’s paycheck. One former work did the math and discovered that about 1.5 hours a week were unpaid due to the bag check demand. It equated to about $1500 a year. That may not seem like much, but for someone who is only making an hourly wage, every penny counts. Other companies like Ralph Lauren and Forever 21 are dealing with similar situations. At the end of the day, the company will only look out for the company and not their “lowly” employees.
If you have evidence that your job is not compensating you for the fair amount of hours paid or worked then you need to speak with an experienced employment attorney such as our unpaid overtime attorneys at The Kaufman Law Firm in Los Angeles. We have the experience and resources necessary to ensure that you are getting fairly treated by your employer and the court system. Call 310-981-3404 or click here to get a better understanding of your options. Our unpaid overtime attorneys know how to get your life back on track.