Just recently hired as a restaurant manager "trainee". Trainees must work 6 days a week, 10-12 hrs per day and then once this is over after 8 weeks then work load down to 5 days per week BUT all current managers are working 65 + hours a week, 6 days a week due to short staffing. We do very little paper work, basically oversee staff and "act as assistants to the staff" (quote from the handbook). Pay is not spectacular but one manager now working his 12th day straight said his rate averaged out to under $6 per hour. Can they do this? Am I nuts to think this is a bit wrong? In Tenn...

According to my source, none of the states you list have a one day rest in seven law (and in several that do, twelve days in a row is legal since the law doesn't say the same day in each week). Therefore, nothing illegal is occurring.

An exempt employee is NOT paid on the basis of how many hours they work. As long as the job duties meet the qualifications for exempt status and they make $455 a week or more, nothing illegal is occurring there, either.