HR and Employment Law Topics
Hours of Work
National Summary
The federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requires
that employers pay employees a minimum wage for all hours worked and
an overtime wage for hours worked over 40 in a week. In general, hours
worked for purposes of the FLSA includes all time that employees spend
performing activities on their employers’ behalf. Hours worked also
includes waiting time, travel time, other than time spent commuting
to and from the employee’s regular place of work, breaks or meal periods
that are less than 20 minutes long, and time the employee is required
to spend in training, at seminars or in meetings. Hours worked for
purposes of the FLSA do not include waiting time, time spent on call
or time when an employee is required to carry a pager or cell phone,
provided the employee is otherwise free to effectively use the time
for his or her own personal purposes. The FLSA does not obligate employers
to pay employees for holidays, vacation, or sick days.
The FLSA requires that employers keep accurate records
of hours worked and wages paid. The statute does not limit the number
of hours employees may work in a week, except in the case of minors
under the age of 16. In addition, individual states may have laws
that regulate the payment of wages and overtime, the hours worked
by minors, and what constitutes paid work time.
Summary for [Your State]
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