In the last year, millions of New Yorkers have been working remotely because of the coronavirus pandemic. A number of companies don’t plan to return to in-office work until the summer or fall of 2021. In the meantime, many employees have needed a more flexible schedule when working remotely, especially if they also have children attending school remotely.
Overtime and remote work
Yet offering flex time and remote work doesn’t negate an employer’s responsibility to pay overtime to eligible employees who work more than 40 hours per week.
Time spent answering emails outside of normal work hours, or completing work on the weekends, count toward the total weekly work hours.
Even employees who don’t have their overtime approved by a manager still have to be paid for overtime work, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The U.S. Department of Labor notes that employers are responsible for setting and enforcing overtime policies if they don’t want employees to work more than 40 hours in a week.
Getting help when seeking overtime pay
If you’re not sure if you’re eligible for overtime pay, an experienced employment law attorney can help you make that determination. If you have problems receiving pay for overtime you have worked as a remote employee, you also need to consult an experienced employment law attorney. You deserve to receive pay for the hours you have worked, even if you were working from home.
