Oftentimes, employers ask us if they can require employees to do extra work outside of their scheduled hours or shift. There are a few important things to consider when doing this. In short, yes, you can require employees to do extra work outside their scheduled hours, but you have to pay them for it.
As an employer, you have control over schedules and can modify them as needed. That may mean scheduling additional work time for employees.
For nonexempt employees, any extra work time must be compensated at or above minimum wage, and any overtime worked must be paid at the required premium. Properly classified exempt employees don’t need to be paid extra for extra work.
Employees who haven’t previously been scheduled outside their normal work hours may have conflicts. Giving them a heads up well in advance of a change to their schedule may increase the chance that they can take on the extra work. Some employees may have commitments they can’t change or may otherwise be unable to work the extra hours. If you plan to make the extra work a requirement for certain positions, you may experience unwelcome turnover.
Over time, additional hours can lead to burnout. Make sure managers are regularly communicating with their team members about workloads and morale.
Be prepared for employees to request exceptions and understand how to navigate them while staying compliant. Religious accommodations (such as not working on the employee’s Sabbath) and disability accommodations generally have to be provided unless they cause an undue hardship. Depending on the circumstances, employees could also be entitled to be excused from the extra work hours through a leave law, such as the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (which applies to employers that have 50 or more employees).
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Content provided by Ahola's HR Support Center