As a business continuity measure, my employer is requiring most of the staff to use laptop computers. We are financially responsible for these machines and are required to take them home with us each night. We are also required to maintain high speed internet access for the rare occasion that we are allowed to work from home (the snow this past December for example).
This is also means that each morning we need to unpack the computer, dock it, sign in, wait for it to boot up, sign into the network, then finally punch in. This is a minimun of 6 minutes (up to 10 for those with older machines). Again in the evening, it's punch out, wait for the computer to shut down completely, remove it from the dock and pack it back up. This is another 3-5 minutes. Technically we are supposed to take the computers staight home though I'm pretty sure most people will run errands along they way, regardless.
My question is, as an hourly employee, am I eligible, under Washington and/or Federal labor law for compensation for any of that time? Does my work day start when I first dock the computer or when I am logged in completely and can punch in? When does it end? I know 9-15 minutes a day seems trivial but at the end of the week, it's 45-75 minutes and at the end of the year 39-65 hours of unpaid time.
This is also means that each morning we need to unpack the computer, dock it, sign in, wait for it to boot up, sign into the network, then finally punch in. This is a minimun of 6 minutes (up to 10 for those with older machines). Again in the evening, it's punch out, wait for the computer to shut down completely, remove it from the dock and pack it back up. This is another 3-5 minutes. Technically we are supposed to take the computers staight home though I'm pretty sure most people will run errands along they way, regardless.
My question is, as an hourly employee, am I eligible, under Washington and/or Federal labor law for compensation for any of that time? Does my work day start when I first dock the computer or when I am logged in completely and can punch in? When does it end? I know 9-15 minutes a day seems trivial but at the end of the week, it's 45-75 minutes and at the end of the year 39-65 hours of unpaid time.
Comment