Can My Employer Change My Hours Without Asking?

Understanding your rights in relation to your work schedule is crucial if you’re an employee. Whether or whether your employer can adjust your hours without first consulting you is one frequently asked question. Because it relies on a number different aspects, the answer is not a straightforward yes or no.

First off, if you and your employer have a written agreement outlining your work schedule, they cannot alter it without your permission. Your employer, however, has the authority to modify your hours if you are an at-will employee, which means you do not have a contract. Employees may find it frustrating because it may be challenging to manage their personal lives around their work schedules.

It’s also crucial to keep in mind that your employer can be in breach of employment rules if they alter your hours without giving you prior notice and this causes you to lose out on income or benefits. Employees must be informed of any changes to their work schedule by their employers, and they could face consequences if they don’t.

It’s also critical to comprehend the minimum wage and break rules in your state. For every four hours working, Massachusetts workers are entitled to a 15-minute break. Also, Massachusetts’s minimum wage, which is currently $13.50 per hour, will rise to $15 per hour by 2023. Employees have the right to register a complaint with the Department of Labor Standards if their employer pays them less than the legal minimum wage.

Last but not least, Massachusetts has rules that establish a limit on the number of hours a worker can work each day. Employees are only permitted to work 8 hours a day, unless they are paid overtime. Employees are also limited to a weekly workweek of 48 hours unless they are paid overtime for any additional hours worked.

In conclusion, even if an employer may be permitted to change an at-will employee’s work schedule without prior notice, rules protecting workers from unfair treatment are in place. Knowing your state’s regulations on breaks, minimum pay, and maximum hours worked is essential. You should also speak up if you believe that your employer is infringing on your legal rights as an employee.