Wage Theft Uncovered: The Hidden Cost of Clocking In Early

In a shocking Imgur video titled "Wage Theft," a hidden issue affecting numerous workplaces is brought to light. The video showcases an interaction between an employee and a supervisor, revealing the employer's demand for employees to arrive early but not clock in until their shift starts. This practice, known as wage theft, is illegal and unethical.

The dialogue in the video is straightforward yet alarming:

"Your shift starts at 10, but you should be ready to work by 10, so probably get here around 9.50."

"Yeah, I can come in a little early."

"Hey, I looked at your time card. Why have you been punching in 10 minutes early?"

"You told me to get here at 9.50, so I've been clocking in when I arrive."

"No, no, you need to arrive here and then not clock in for at least 10 minutes until your shift starts."

"Okay, so I'll arrive here when my shift starts and then clock in."

"No, you need to be here early. If you require that I'm here early, I'm going to clock in for that."

"No, because we're going to pay you for when you're working, so you need to get here, get everything ready to work, and then clock in when your shift starts."

"I arrive ready to work. I'm in uniform. All I do is walk inside and punch in and then go work."

"Look, we all have to make sacrifices here for the good of the team that we're on."

"This feels weird."

"Look, we all have to make sacrifices here for the good of the team that we're on."

"No."

The comments below the video reflect widespread frustration and personal stories of similar experiences. One user suggests, "ask her for it in writing and when they dumbly give it to you, report it and you can sue them for wage theft." Another user shares a personal experience, "When I worked for Best Buy, they got taken to court for this, and we all got paid."

Such practices are not only unfair but also illegal. Employers cannot demand work outside of clocked hours. As one user aptly puts it, "If I'm on site, you pay me. End of story."

In another comment, a former restaurant manager recalls being expected to come in an hour early without pay: "Back when I was a restaurant manager, the owner had an expectation of us coming in an hour before our shift, to set scheduling, rotation, all this other stuff. So that we were ready to go the moment our shift 'started'. Was only 50 minutes early one day and received a call immediately."

Employees are encouraged to join unions, which can offer protection and support against such exploitation. One user advises, "Join your union."

The video and comments highlight the importance of standing up against wage theft. Workers should be aware of their rights and not be afraid to demand fair compensation for their time. Employers must understand that unethical practices not only harm employees but also damage their reputation and can lead to legal consequences.

For more information on wage theft and how to protect against it, visit https://www.edelson-law.com/blog/2021/12/can-your-employer-demand-that-you-work-before-clocking-in/.