Working Excessive Overtime? How an Employment Lawyer Can Help

A little overtime can be a nice perk on your paycheck because you earn additional wages at your higher overtime rate. However, excessive overtime hours can be a problem for some people. There is no legal limit on the number of overtime hours an employer can require you to work. People though can only work so much overtime before it becomes excessive and negatively impacts their lives.

Are You Working Excessive Overtime? How an Employment Lawyer Can Help

You may be tired, making mistakes, or feeling mentally and physically exhausted if you are feeling pressured to work excessive overtime. Your employer can actually discipline you for failing to work requested overtime. You should review any employee handbook or other policies regarding overtime if you are feeling like you are working too much overtime.

Your Employment Contract

Few employees have a contract with their employer which governs their work hours including overtime. This contract may be an individual contract with the employer or a collective bargaining agreement with a unionized employer. You should first review any applicable contract or collective bargaining agreement if you believe your employer is working you too much overtime.

You are Suffering Mental and Physical Stress

Working excessive overtime can really take a toll on you. This can leave you vulnerable to making mistakes, getting injured, or causing an accident where others get hurt.

If you feel this is a problem and your employer doesn’t cut back the overtime hours, you should talk to an employment lawyer. Putting yourself and others at risk is too much to expect from anyone.

How an Employment Lawyer Can Help: Review Employer Policies and Correspondence

You should review the employer’s policies and procedures regarding overtime to determine if your employer is following its own rules regarding overtime work. You should also look through your emails, ask your co-workers, and look through anything you signed to start working at your current workplace to determine if your employer has previously mentioned overtime work. You can also check with payroll or management to find out if the employer has other rules regarding overtime work.