{"id":357856,"date":"2016-04-04T10:45:32","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T15:45:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/employment\/wages-and-benefits\/is-it-illegal-to-work-off-the-clock.html"},"modified":"2025-03-19T01:25:00","modified_gmt":"2025-03-19T06:25:00","slug":"is-it-illegal-to-work-off-the-clock","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/employment\/wages-and-benefits\/is-it-illegal-to-work-off-the-clock.html","title":{"rendered":"Is It Illegal To Work off the Clock?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Is it Illegal to Work 'Off the Clock?'<\/h1>\n
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\n By Natalie Moritz<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Melissa Bender, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

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Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n

Working ‘off the clock’ is typically illegal under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). This law requires compensation for all hours worked, including overtime. Employees can recover unpaid wages through the Department of Labor, and employers should enforce clear policies to prevent off-the-clock work.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Whether an ambitious employee stays late to finish a project or a worker is required to come in early to help set up a worksite, off-the-clock work \u2014 work that is unpaid or doesn’t count toward overtime \u2014 is often illegal.<\/p>\n

Wage and hours laws can be complex. Talk to an employment attorney<\/a> if you need help understanding how laws for off-the-clock work and wage theft apply to your situation.<\/p>\n

The Fair Labor Standards Act<\/a> (FLSA), an important federal employment law that applies to most workers, requires that employers compensate employees with overtime pay when working more than 40 hours a week.<\/p>\n

The Fair Labor Standards Act<\/h2>\n

The FLSA covers most employees. The workplace law establishes minimum wage, overtime, and other <\/a>worker protections. But there are exemptions from these requirements. Employees exempt from the FLSA’s requirements<\/a> include:<\/p>\n