Are employers allowed to require employees to work additional hours without pay?

No, employers in the state of Washington are not allowed to require employees to work additional hours without pay. The Washington Minimum Wage Act and other state wage and hour laws protect employees from being forced to work additional unpaid hours. Under the minimum wage law, employers must pay employees at least the applicable minimum wage for all hours worked and for any overtime hours worked after 40 hours in a given workweek. Additionally, employers must count any time spent in service of employers and in furtherance of employers’ business toward hours worked, even if it is not “clock in” or “clock out” time. This can include attending required trainings or seminars, travel time, set up and break down time, or other work-related activities. In addition, Washington employers may not withhold wages due to an employee’s poor performance or other negative issues. Employees are entitled to the wages they have earned, and employers may not “punish” them by failing to pay them for worked hours. Ultimately, employers are prohibited from requiring employees to work additional hours without pay in the state of Washington, no matter the circumstances. Failing to pay proper wages can be a violation of state wage and hour laws and can result in stiff fines, penalties, and other legal ramifications for non-compliant employers.

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Are employers allowed to require employees to work additional hours without pay?

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