Can your employer force you to go home before your shift is over?

Question

I have a job in which they have been cutting my hours. Right now I am scheduled 18 hours a week or less and I really need the money. I work at a call center and they recently made one in Texas where the minimum wage is like $5 compared to that of California where it is $7.50 now. They give all of the hours to the people in Texas now since it is saving them much more money. Since I am scheduled for only 18 hours a week I really don't like to go home before my shift is over but almost every time I work they want to force me to go home and I refuse to go home but sometimes they make me. I wanna know if it is legal for your employer to send you home if you are doing nothing wrong. To me it is sounds unfair and I really don't think it is legal. If you know it's illegal I would really appreaciate it if you provide me with federal information that says it is illegal. Thank you.

Answer 1

Well, I don't know much about the business that you are in, but my hubby is in the restaurant biz and I am always hearing him talk about having to send x person home to save on labor and food cost. If they are having a slow day, and they have 4 cooks then cut it to 3 that way food cost and labor can even out. He doesn't target just one person though. He rotates who he sends home. Even though some get paid more than others, he doesn't find it fair to always send home just one person.
This is in the great state of GA

Answer 2

I used to work in a call centre doing surveys. IF they ever ran out of numbers (or were not given new numbers from the client) then we would all be sent home early and we had no say.

As long as we were paid for the 3 hours minimum required or whatever hours we had worked, we had no choice.

IF your state has a minimum number of hours to work per day, then you must be paid that - otherwise you dont have any legal positon to stand on. Everything is legal as far as the employer is concerned.

You would be better off looking for another job with better hours.

Answer 3

A company legally can send you home for lack of work.

You may have been hired for more hours, but the sad fact is that if the business is not there, the company will not keep a person on.

Do you have any options to look for another job? It sounds like you need one with more steady hours.

Answer 4

i think it depends on the state in some circumstances...when i was doing restaurant management,...labor cost was a huge issue...so we cut ppl as soon as we could....but if they were on the schedule and they came in they had to get to be paid for at least 3 hours, now we did have employees at times scheduled for a 2 hr shift but this was their schedule and was aware of the hours...but states vary, some places u can just fire an employee without cause or warning...i know here they need 2 get a verbal then 2 or 3 written to cover the company's behind....i would check out these sites
http://www.eeoc.gov/federal/regulations.html
http://www.dol.gov/asp/regs/rulemaking.html
http://www.ca.gov/Employment/LawsAndRegs.html
they are for the EEOC, the Dept of Labor (fed, and the CA dept of lab respectively
good luck
Kay

Answer 5

What they're doing is legal, however if you really need the money I would talk to your employer about it. He has no obligation to keep you for the full shift but he may be nice and let you stay for the full time.

Answer 6

Yup, time to search for better job .
Go to the temp agencies . . . Sometimes people find a good fit and get hired permanently.

Answer 7

Find another job. And learn that life is unfair. Worry about the things you can control, not the ones you cant.

Answer 8

ITs 100 % legal. Sorry