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  |  Office Culture  |  Your rights  |  Unpaid hours: is it legal?
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Unpaid hours: is it legal?

by Work Rights Expert, Rachel Lewis

question
I work in a shop, and every night they make us work for half an hour extra without paying us. They say it is legal - is this true?
Lora

answer

It is fundamental to any contract of employment that an employee is paid for any work that he or she does. Unless your contract clearly states that you are employed at a set salary and may have to work extra hours for which you will not be paid extra (as many professional contracts of employment state), it cannot be legal to make you work for an extra half-an-hour every night without paying you. You should tell your employer this and also report the matter to your union, if you are a member. Think about raising the issue jointly with colleagues to avoid putting yourself in the firing line.



Live Q&A on Ask The Expert
Employment lawyer Rachel Lewis advises on your work-related issues

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