A few weeks back, I blogged about employees who work for free. Seems this is even more common then we think. Staples just a reached a $42 million settlement in several class-action lawsuits related to allegations that the company had not paid its assistant store managers overtime to which they were entitled.
In one case, former employee Ronald Stillman of New Jersey said he was not compensated for working 50-hour weeks as an assistant sales manager at Staples, where his work “required little skill’’ and no “managerial responsibilities,’’ court records show.
It's time for employers to realize that just because you give an employee a title, this doesn't mean they are exempt from overtime. Learn from the mistakes of others. Take a close look at your compensation practices and make sure you are paying people fairly.
As employees, you have some responsibility here as well. Know your rights and don't be afraid to bring them to the attention of your employer. Like Oprah says, "You can't be taken advantage of if you don't let other people take advantage of you."
Hmmm…That Was Easy!
