An article on MSN talks about how the lowest paid workers are ripped off. They are paying less than minimum wage, many worked overtime and were not paid, and many did not get paid for lunch break or worked through it.
Can we change this? Is it really only happening to low wage workers?
Honestly? I think we can’t. I think there are many salaried people of all income levels working through their lunch break or bringing work home, especially now. Right now people are worried about keeping their jobs. They are likely putting in a lot of overtime or trying to look good, so they can avoid the axe.
I think that the lowest paid workers are often abused and taken advantaged off. But I wonder if all workers right now aren’t being taken advantaged off? That we aren’t being played on our fears? Fear of losing our job, health insurance, fear of homes? It’s a vicious cycle.
Plus everytime a layoff occurs, I wonder if people might have jumped ship before, now can’t? And thus you wonder when your turn on the block is next? I wonder how many people bring home work because they are worried about tomorrow?
Have you noticed it where you work?
2 responses so far ↓
1 Meg // Sep 13, 2009 at 11:51 pm
I don’t think it’s a “lower paid” versus “higher paid” employee issue. I think it might have more to do with whether you work for a bigger/more established company or whether you work for a small employer who may not know or enforce rules like paying time and a half for overtime, giving adequate breaks, etc.
My company is large enough to be publicly traded and all non-exempt workers (generally lower paid ones) use computerized time sheets and are paid 1.5x for all overtime and receive all the other benefits that higher paid employees do .
Plus I agree with you that a lot of higher paid workers work off the clock, don’t take all their vacation or personal days, even come in when they’re sick. They just consider it part of the job.
2 LAL // Sep 15, 2009 at 2:47 pm
I wish were were paid overtime. But salary is salary. Darn it.
I think that right now everyone is working harder without expecting extra compensation. Most are doing it to keep their jobs.
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