Can an employer make you work every weekend?
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Can an employer make you work every weekend?
I have worked every weekend for this home health care facility; I’m a CNA. I was working every Saturday. Now they’re doing every Saturday and Sunday but they schedule me all week long, some days only an hour. Then I travel an hour to get to 1 location 2 days weekly and 1 hour home. Is there a minimum number of hours I should be working a day, even if I were qualified as an at-will employee? Is it OK for them to keep going outside of my availability? I do not have 24 hours off between shifts. I’ve tried talking to them but they start raising their voice. Also, they do not pay for travel time, only for mileage. What rights do I have?
Asked on March 9, 2012 under Employment Labor Law, Massachusetts
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
1) An employer may make you work every weekend.
2) There is no minimum--or maximum--number of hours you can be required to work.
3) If you are not exempt from overtime (which includes if you are paid on an hourly basis; hourly employees are nonexempt), you must be paid overtime if you work more than 40 hours in a week.
4) There is no requirement to give you any time off between shifts.
5) If you are traveling to your regular place of work (e.g. the home health care facility), there is no obligation to pay you for travel time.
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