All employees have rights, no matter what their job duties are. In fact, this is quite common in retail settings. Many employers take advantage of their employees, some without even knowing it. That being said, employees who feel like they aren’t being treated fairly should consult a lawyer to ensure that this isn’t the case.
Here are some examples where retail employers are taking advantage of their employees.
If you are required to wear certain clothing, depending on your job, you should be compensated for this cost. These are considered uniforms, and you shouldn’t have to pay for this clothing on your own. This includes:
- Wearing clothing that was bought at the retail store where you work
- Having to wear a certain style or color to fit in with all of the other employees
If you are required to have your coat or bag checked at the beginning or end of the day, you should be paid for this time. Your employer can’t force you to spend this extra time in the morning or evening, unless you are compensated for it.
You should be paid for any missed breaks. Your employer is required to give you a rest break for every three and a half to four hours worked. You also deserve a meal break for every five hours that you work. If you work longer than that and aren’t getting a break, you should still be paid for that time.
If you have to make a phone call to figure out if you have to work that day, you should be compensated for that time. You also should be compensated if you are on-call. You can’t really make plans, and you are severely limited in what you can do for the day, so it is important that your employer realizes this and compensates you for it.
If you end up going in to work early or stay late to clean or stock the store, you should be paid for those hours. This is especially true if you end up working over eight hours in a day. If you do, you deserve to be paid overtime.
If you have to take a deposit to the bank or take products from one store to another, you should be paid in two ways. You should be paid for your time and also for the mileage that you are putting on your vehicle.
If you are a manager who is paid a salary, yet you spend fifty percent of your time doing things that aren’t considered manager duties, you deserve to be paid for those tasks. You deserve overtime if you spend time with customers, cleaning and stocking shelves, and other tasks that are not deemed management.
If you are a retail employee who is working harder than you should or aren’t getting compensated for some of the things that you are required to do, you should consult a lawyer. He or she will be able to see if you even have a case against your employer.
So, what can you do if you believe that your employer is taking advantage of you?
If you don’t believe that you are being treated fairly, you should talk to one of our experienced employment lawyers. We know that all employees have rights and we will fight to make sure that you are being treated fairly. We offer free consultations so we can discuss your case and your options so that you can decide how you want to proceed.
If you decide to fight for your rights, we will be with you every step of the way. Don’t hesitate to contact us today at Aiman-Smith & Marcy by phone at (510)817-2711 or online.
