Wal-Mart paying $4.8M for overtime violations

[laundry_queen]

5. I worked at a place

that expected me to come in 20 min early to set up the store, and stay 30 minutes after the store closed to get all the customers out, cash out, clean up the store/displays etc. I was only being paid for the amount of time the store was open and was being paid for 44 hrs/week (our o/t limit) even though I was working an extra 50 min/day. I knew it was wrong, so I kept track. I knew they were getting angry with me because there were other violations I had pointed out (paying me less because I was female) and I anticipated them finding a reason to lay me off. When they did, I showed them the 10 months of meticulously tracked OT hours I had logged, and I cited the specific clause in the labour laws here that said what they were doing was illegal.

They paid me all of the back pay immediately. They REALLY wanted to be rid of me, lol. And because they didn't want me coming back on THEM, they 'laid me off' instead of 'firing me' so I could get unemployment. They knew if they fired me, I'd be reporting them. They even offered to write me a letter of recommendation, lol.

This is why labour laws are SO important! I would NEVER live in a right-to-work state if I could help it (so thankful I'm in Canada).