Boss treating exempt employee like hourly employee
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Anonymous
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Very small employer with "core business hours" from 9 to 6, and employees must be in the office between those hours. Worker supposedly classified as exempt, but the boss is a time hawk. The other parent usually does daycare pick up and drop off every day, but they are going to be out of town for work for five working days. When employee needs to leave early, they finish their work in the evening from home. The work is very independent, doesn't involve any other employees, and can be done remotely. Leaving work early means having to leave at 4:30. The last time employee had to leave work early for a childcare-related reason was for one afternoon a month ago. Employee doesn't leave work early for non-childcare-related reasons.
Despite seven years of service, and consistent performance, employee only earns 2 weeks of vacation per year. As part of a previous negotiation, the boss agreed not to force employee to use accrued leave to do these activities on occasion, but they are upset that employee needs to leave early for five days straight, and gave the employee a stern warning and accused the employee of trying to game the system. As long as an exempt employee is hitting their goals, how much control does an employer have here? Employee isn't responsible for things like answering phones or opening mail, nor is their work confidential in a way that it is a security risk for them to do it from home. |
Anonymous
| OP here: I should also mention that the employee stays late whenever there are after-hours events, which usually averages out to once a month. |
Anonymous
| As far as I understand they can make the policies that they want regarding exempt staff (my company makes us take PTO in 4 hour increments and it's so annoying). The bigger issue is your boss sounds kind of like a d*ck and I would look for another job between the boss and the dismally small PTO you get. |
Anonymous
| It’s time to find a new job. Being an exempt employee means you have fewer rights, and the company is not required to pay you overtime. They can require you to be there during core hours, not allow working from home, etc. |
Anonymous
| Being exempt simply means you are salaried and get no overtime. It doesn't mean that you can come and go as you please and decide when you are on and off the clock. It has none of the perks you imagine. |
Anonymous
You mean you need to take a half a day PTO at a time right? This is super standard.... |
Anonymous
| I’m not sure you understand what being an exempt employee means. You ask how much control the employer has - the answer is complete control. Employer can demand which hours he wants. I’m sorry, it sounds difficult. |
Anonymous
| Not to mention, you are likely an "at will" employee, meaning you can be fired "at will," (any time, any reason or no reason). The boss may be a jerk but is still the boss. |
Anonymous
No in my industry for the companies I've worked for! |
Anonymous
| There is definitely nothing illegal about this. Why are you still there? Two weeks PTO would be a dealbreaker for me. |
Anonymous
I’ve never experienced this. Seems weird and counterproductive to me. I only need to take an hour, but you are going to force me to take 4? How does that help anyone, including the employer? |
Anonymous
The point is, the employer sets the time increment. An hour, a half a day, fifteen minutes -- by which the employee takes paid time off. |
Anonymous
| OP, salaried employees many times earn less money than hourly employees for reasons like this. |
Anonymous
| You need to start looking for a new job. Your employer can make the rules but you don’t have to work there. |
Anonymous
Because the employer doesn't have to track an hour here or there every day of the year, potentially. And you can't use your PTO in annoying, hatd-to-manage ways, like leaving an hour or two early every Friday. |