I apologize for putting this all in one spot, but the search function didn't help me any...


I work for a security guard agency in metro Boston, and I suppose it's time to start asking questions. Here are the major issues I have with this company:

1. There are no breaks for anyone in the company, office workers, guards in the field, etc. Workers will sometimes work 16-18 hours straight with no break whatsoever.

2. Checks are available Friday afternoon but post-dated for Saturday... They claim payday is Saturday but they provide the checks as an "accomodation" to the employee?

3. They recently changed policy to not reimburse gas prices for using your own vehicle, but rather reimburse the mileage you use (not factoring sitting in your vehicle for 8-16 hours sometimes).

4. No overnight differential? I'm pretty sure it isn't a law, so this doesn't matter, right? Solely the employers discretion?

5. We have payroll mistakes galore. We come to get our checks and always realize that we're shorted 1, 2, even 3 dollars an hour (due to our payroll software), and they won't reimburse us until the next week?

6. The payweek and schedule week are different. The payweek runs from Wed-Tues, and the schedule we receive runs from Fri-Thurs, it's weird, but is it illegal?



Sorry for posting this all in one spot, I know it's probably utterly annoying, but I'm doing this FROM work and wanted to get it done quickly before I get the shoulder surfers. Any help would be apprecited.

1. From what I can see, rest breaks are not required by MA law. A meal period of 30 minutes IS required for general occupations, if your shift is at least 6 hours. Whether or not an exemption can be granted, however, because of the nature of the job (security guards may fall under the exclusion, but office workers definitely would not), I am not aware.

2. So, what's the problem?

3. There is no law in MA (nor any other state, except California) that requires you be reimbursed for the business use of your vehicle. So, such a change would not be a violation of law. Are you the one who posted before about sitting in your personal vehicle because the location of your job did not have a place for you inside? If so, we addressed that in the separate thread. If not, you might want to search for it; it was less than 2 weeks ago, I think.

4. Correct.

5. Unless the incorrect rate is less than minimum wage, if they make the correction on the following weeks' paycheck, I don't think the AG's office (which serves as the Dept. of Labor in MA) would put a high priority on any claim (if they would accept it at all). Having said that, though, it's not going to be long before employees will get tired of this and find another employer. Just for curiosity's sake, do you get the same hourly rate regardless of what company you're assigned to (I take it you work through a staffing agency, or similar)?

6. Not weird (as a matter of fact, pretty common) and not illegal.