Can your employer increase your workload 3x with no pay increase?
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Can your employer increase your workload 3x with no pay increase?
I am a site administrator who is severely underpaid for my current workload. I was just informed that the corporate office has decided that I will now take on the the workload of 3 other facilities. I have been doing this job for 18 months and I am always busy. Now they want to add 400+ more employees to my workload with no help and no pay increase. Can they legally do this? If they can and I can’t meet all my deadlines and start getting written up, do I have any rights here?
Asked on March 16, 2011 under Employment Labor Law, California
Answers:
M.D., Member, California and New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 13 years ago | Contributor
Most employment relationships are "at Will". This means that your employer can hire or fire you for any reason or no reason whatsoever, as well has increase/decrease salary/hours, promote/demote, and generally impose requirements as it sees fit. You in turn can work for an employer, or not, your choice. Unless there is a stated company policy, or an employment/ union contract that does not allow for such action, it is permissible (I'm also assuming that discrimination is not not a factor your case). Consequently, you can be required to take on this extra workload without a corresponding increase in pay. While not fair, it is legal.
However, if you are a non-exempt employee, you are entitled to overtime for any any hours that you work past 40 per week (possibly there are other state laws that may come into play as well). If you are not being paid accordingly to the law, you need to report this to your state's department of labor (file a complaint) and/or contact an employment law attorney (to file a case).
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