What do you do when supervisors encourage work off the clock?

[Notonmytime]

My direct call center supervisor has said that we cannot make work related copies "on his time." Also, that we must arrive at work 15 minutes prior to clocking in, if we are not in our seat and logged into the computer, but not actually logged in for work through our phones until the exact moment that we are to be on the clock, he said he counts us as late. That would be on his personal scale of how he assesses our performance, but it not something tangible on a report.

Is encouraging employes to work off the clock, or not allowing them to do work when logged in against the Wage and Hour Commission laws? How can you force an employee to make copies before work or on their minimal break?

[jacote]

The problem is, your supervisor is a modern-day lunatic. All too common in today's kill or be killed corporate world.

Unless you're on salary you should be paid for every minute you're in the office. You should clock in the minute you get there.

Go to the US Department of Labor Website:
http://www.dol.gov/

Good luck...

It's sad that in the industry I support there are people who I wouldn't desire to know or do business with. But, I'm sure I've unknowingly done business with these types. I am very pro-employee, because most of my life I have been one. I'll never understand why some employers turn into adversaries to their emoployees. You don't get the most out of people when you suck it out of them.

[Call Centers 2000]

Usually directives such as you describe are precipitated by unpleasant feedback from somewhere. Perhaps pruductivity is down or service levels are dipping and this is a quick fix to keep everyone in their seats.
My suggestion is to set an appointment with your supervisor to discuss why he has created this rule and what other alternatives exist. I suspect there is a deeper "root cause". Good luck.
'

[mnehr]

That is a supervisor that either needs to have some detailed employment law training or needs to 'have their options opened up for them.'
I hate to sound crass, but they are opening themselves up to a major investigation and lawsuit, as well as labor department fines.

ANY business related work (except for salaried workers, of course) must be done on the clock. These are elementary standards that every supervisor should know before being placed in that position.

[Matt Schmitz]

The subject of what constitutes "work" in the work place is still a very controversial subject. Making copies, if they relate to work (copies of schedules, work & business rules, product support documents...) must be a paid function. Making copies of personal items (usually banned at most companies) should not be paid for on the clock.

As for signing in... the practice of asking hourly employees to be at their desk, PC logged in, phone signed on at the start of shift is quite common and legal in most states. Few places pay the time for employees to walk in the door, go get coffee or breakfast, and then settle into their desk. However, some businesses allow and pay for 5 minutes after signing in to get a PC or other tools booted. I have heard of some businesses that allow more than 5 minutes based on special team needs - like restrictive security procedures that lenghten access to work stations, agents putting on special clothing or gear, and so forth.

A business unit should always seek HR or legal department advice when setting up these types of guidelines. It is very important that whatever guidelines are set up be uniform throughout the facility and enforced uniformly.

While the "rule of law" sets general guidelines, the best rule to use in the work place is "common sense". Overly restictive rules tend to ruin morale. Too lax a rule can ruin productivity and promotes poor work habits.

Matt