Help- Vacation laws?? Massachusetts

[klindsey82]

I hope someone can help me! I am trying to look up these laws and have also looked in my companys policy manual and can't find the info

I just posted this on another chat board I belong to but no one really knows... hoping some can help me!

So I was supposed to be going on this big trip to Bermuda with my job. Basically, I work at a group home for mentally ill/retarded individuals and me and my coworker were going to be taking them on this cruise on Sunday.

I've been in charge of planning it and I got it all done, payed for (by the individuals) and tickets everything.. for 6 months or so been planning this and saving their money and budgeting, everything.

It was agreed to us (me and my coworker) *verbally by my boss months ago* that we would be paid for every hour we are working, which IS 24 hours a day, for the 5 days we are gone.

16 hours awake pay, 8 hours overnight pay (overnight pay is about half pay).

Fine, thats standard from what I've heard.

My coworker just called me and said that my boss just talked to her and said that they are changing how they are going to pay us. They are only going to pay us 12 hours a day, and 8 hours overnight. So thats four hours a day we are not paid for??

And not only that, buts only ONE of us will get paid a night.. so it will be like I get paid one night, and my coworker the next.

wtf??? we leave SUNDAY and he's extorting us NOW???

We are calling his boss and his boss's boss in the morning. The decision came down from his boss's boss, which is like the final say in EVERYTHINg.

but thats f**ing extortion. Yes we are going on a cruise for free basically but we are there to WORK with these guys and help them with EVERYTHING, and its WORK. Every minute we are there is work. WE deserve to get paid for that..

And um 3 days before we go your telling us this?? My coworker is saying now that she is going to refuse to go. man. wtf. I had babysitters lined up for the whole week, I'm taking school off, its the week before my midterms.

I'm going to look up labor laws now. This seems really f**ked up to me.

[mikswi]

Short of a written agreement or union, they can pretty much do what they want. They ARE paying you, their not asking you to work for nothing.

[DAW]

The federal rules for one of your issues are as follows:

http://www.dol.gov/esa/regs/compliance/whd/whdfs33.htm

Sleeping Time and Certain Other Activities: An employee who is required to be on duty for less than 24 hours is working even though he/she is permitted to sleep or engage in other personal activities when not busy. An employee required to be on duty for 24 hours or more may agree with the employer to exclude from hours worked bona fide regularly scheduled sleeping periods of not more than 8 hours, provided adequate sleeping facilities are furnished by the employer and the employee can usually enjoy an uninterrupted night's sleep. No reduction is permitted unless at least 5 hours of sleep is taken.

[klindsey82]

Short of a written agreement or union, they can pretty much do what they want. They ARE paying you, their not asking you to work for nothing.

Yes they are. Four hours of each day, totally 20 hours total OVERTIME will be missed. Thats $500 they are trying to short me.

I will be working 24 hours a day on this boat with these individuals. If I was at the group home, we would be paid for 24 hours of the day, I have done it before. He thinks that just because we are leaving the community he can do this to us?

I am about to call his boss. My coworker has already said she will refuse to go if they don't pay us appropriate, and I'm about to jump on that wagon too cuz I'm so pissed about this.

[mikswi]

I am about to call his boss.

In hopes of telling him that your boss wont pay you? No good can come from this...........it wont end in your favor.

My coworker has already said she will refuse to go if they don't pay us appropriate, and I'm about to jump on that wagon too cuz I'm so pissed about this.

They will probably give in to your demands because they probably cant get anyone else to cover you in the time left. I would check and see if the ship has internet and spend all your spare time looking for another job, they will probably term you and your buddy after you come back. This may not bother you at all but you will need them as a reference.

Review DAW's post and see if it fits your situation.

[klindsey82]

Thanks for your advice, but I respectfully disagree.

They did cave and I doubt we are in jeopardy of our jobs.

[Pattymd]

Well, you know your employer better than we do.