I know you've must of been asked a billion times but here i go.
I work for a Nordstrom Rack store in CA. a closing shift for my store is 1:30 to 10:30 with an hour lunch. our new dept. manager has aplied a new rule stating that we must stay and finsh EVERYTHING reguardless of our scheduled time off. a few times we havent gotten out of work until 1 am. with out an extra brake. can she do that? and does it matter if we're scheduled for an eight hour shift or not, can she then make us stay? does she have the right to punish anyone if they do not stay. :confused:
thanks so much.

can she do that? Yes.

and does it matter if we're scheduled for an eight hour shift or not, can she then make us stay? Yes.

does she have the right to punish anyone if they do not stay. Yes.

why? Is it by law that she can make us stay. is there any help for us? How can she punish someone for leaving at the end of their shift? :mad:

is there any help for us? You do not determine the terms of your employment. Your employer does and they are free to change or adjust your work schedule any time they need to. Your recourse is to find another job if you aren't happy with your present working conditions.

How can she punish someone for leaving at the end of their shift? Because no law prohibits her from doing so. Look, I'm not at all unsympathetic that you don't want to stay late. I don't much like it myself but you are looking at this the wrong way. While the store closes at 10:30pm, obviously your work day doesn't end until your new manager says it ends - which is when all the work of the day is completed. You clearly are going to regularly be working past 10:30pm and your shift-end time is going to vary. If you can deal with that and you otherwise like your job, then stay where you are. If you don't like these terms, then you are free to find a new job.