Archived Can they "force" you to stay past close/scheduled shift time?

[buliSBI]

When I was cashier/CA at one store, it was common place for everyone to stay past closing to help zone and do reshop. There were a couple nights of pushing an extra truck and finishing zones at 3am.

Then one store, cashiers/CAs left at closing. Another store, cashiers left at closing and CAs stayed after.

And schedules varied from 10, 10:30, 11, close

 

[Frontlanegirl]

An employer can not force you to stay...they can ask but if you say no they cannot reprimand for you for it. But they can reprimand you for not following the buddy system when leaving the store at night.

Buddy system??

 

[Guessed Service]

Theoretically, TMs leaving the store after it closes are *supposed* to walk out to the parking lot either altogether or at least in pairs for safety.

There could be people hiding in the parking lot trying to rob/carjack/do other bad things to TMs. Obviously the risk varies wildly depending on the neighborhood and most stores never have to worry about this. But an ETL-with-a-sitck-up-their-ass can known to get petty and start enforcing arcane/little-known rules for revenge.

 

[graffiti]

My TL has lately been trying to force the flow team to stay past schedule when the truck isn't done, so far as physically blocking TMs from the timeclock and making them go back. 😵 When really, it's their fault they hired all kids just there for pocket money and then scheduled them the shortest shifts possible.

I remember back in my closing days that we used to stay for hours after schedule around this time of year. They of course couldn't force you, but they could also make you wait a ridiculous amount of time before opening the doors to release you soat it reached a point that you were better off getting paid since you were gonna be there anyway.

Spot always gets so shady this time of year.

Theoretically, TMs leaving the store after it closes are *supposed* to walk out to the parking lot either altogether or at least in pairs for safety.

Considering I haven't seen a store enforce the "TMs must wait in their cars in the morning until the LOD/TL drives the store and unlocks the door" safety policy in half a decade, I'm surprised to hear this is even a thing.

 

[tgtguy]

Like others have said they cant make you stay past your scheduled time. They can ask you to stay and you can say no.

 

[Flow Warrior]

An employer can not force you to stay...they can ask but if you say no they cannot reprimand for you for it. But they can reprimand you for not following the buddy system when leaving the store at night.

They can also reprimand you for failing to complete your assigned duties, one of which is reshop. Yes it sounds evil but all of us have to stay over to finish reshop. 2 hours? That would get my sr tl ass handed to her. We have one etl who can get away with that because he is willing to sign off on it. Even he only does it if absolutely necessary and with those he knows can afford the hours.

 

[Flow Warrior]

My TL has lately been trying to force the flow team to stay past schedule when the truck isn't done, so far as physically blocking TMs from the timeclock and making them go back. 😵 When really, it's their fault they hired all kids just there for pocket money and then scheduled them the shortest shifts possible.

I remember back in my closing days that we used to stay for hours after schedule around this time of year. They of course couldn't force you, but they could also make you wait a ridiculous amount of time before opening the doors to release you soat it reached a point that you were better off getting paid since you were gonna be there anyway.

Spot always gets so shady this time of year.

Considering I haven't seen a store enforce the "TMs must wait in their cars in the morning until the LOD/TL drives the store and unlocks the door" safety policy in half a decade, I'm surprised to hear this is even a thing.

Actually thats against best practices and can result in them getting coached or worse. If you are scheduled off and leave, no one will ever say anything about that. However, if the work isnt finished, they can and will say something about that.

 

[Kartman]

Our ETLLOD made us stay over nearly 20 minutes tonight doing reshop because they were too worried us zoning.

Hell, the entire time I was zoning I was reshopping, too.

Silly shit. Pick one thing and do it right instead of two things being done half-assed.

 

[60SecondsRemaining]

My TL has lately been trying to force the flow team to stay past schedule when the truck isn't done, so far as physically blocking TMs from the timeclock and making them go back. 😵 When really, it's their fault they hired all kids just there for pocket money and then scheduled them the shortest shifts possible.

I remember back in my closing days that we used to stay for hours after schedule around this time of year. They of course couldn't force you, but they could also make you wait a ridiculous amount of time before opening the doors to release you soat it reached a point that you were better off getting paid since you were gonna be there anyway.

Spot always gets so shady this time of year.

Considering I haven't seen a store enforce the "TMs must wait in their cars in the morning until the LOD/TL drives the store and unlocks the door" safety policy in half a decade, I'm surprised to hear this is even a thing.

Way back when I was a TM (1998-2000), I had an stl who would not open the door.

We had a button at tsc that unlocked the door, but you needed two people....

I always used to just turn a trashcan upside down on a computer chair, put it under the button and hit the raise bar. Chair went up and hit the button, door unlocked. I'd prop the door, move the chair, and leave. Button wasn't in view of the camera and the STL was always beside himself with rage that I wouldn't tell him how I got out without triggering the door alarm.

Whenever he said that it was impossible to reach the button from the door, I just said "apparently not." >.>

 

[Planosss]

15 minutes to work abandons is a JOKE.

It amazing how well certain things can hide behind others.

 

[Fluttervale]

I have a "personal policy" that if I'm asked to stay at least a hour before my shift ends, I will. If they just try to tell me at the end of my shift, "Sorry I can't tonight" and go.

I know that my performance is such that they won't cut my hours. If they do, they aren't the kind of people I want to work for anyways.

 

[redeye58]

I was part of a group told to stay one night to work out reshop.
I told them I was already staying past my original cut-off time & the ETL said "So, what's a little more time?"
Enough to send me into compliance, apparently, but he was the one who had to take it on the chin.

 

[Kartman]

It amazing how well certain things can hide behind others.

When I was a noob and saw that happening, I was like WTF??? I ain't gonna do that shit.

NOW I UNDERSTAND WHY.

 

[Planosss]

When I was a noob and saw that happening, I was like WTF??? I ain't gonna do that shit.

NOW I UNDERSTAND WHY.

 

[Stuff2]

I remember back in my closing days that we used to stay for hours after schedule around this time of year. They of course couldn't force you, but they could also make you wait a ridiculous amount of time before opening the doors to release you soat it reached a point that you were better off getting paid since you were gonna be there anyway.

I don't know about other states, but here in California, if you have to wait inside work to be let out of the building, your employer has to pay you for that time, even if you're not working. If you aren't free to leave, they're supposed to be giving you money.

 

[Doglover89]

At my store, we stay until the zones and reshop are done. It could be 15 minutes past close, it could be two hours past close. Doesn't matter. Sometimes softlines and hardlines need to help eachother depending on the hardest hit zones. I've been at my store as late as 2am (12am close). Luckily I don't close often.

 

[Kartman]

They must have a lot of hours they can use.

We don't have shit for hours.

 

[Stuff2]

They must have a lot of hours they can use.

We don't have shit for hours.

When I worked at Safeway, they didn't have the hours for that. There was just an unspoken expectation that you'd always clock out on time, but also always have all reshop and cleaning done every single shift. Otherwise, manager pitched a bitch fit. So the baggers worked off the clock and didn't get paid to avoid getting on the manager's bad side, and I refuse to believe he didn't know it was happening. That shit's actually why I work at Target now. Fuck working off the clock, and my Target agrees.

 

[Schind]

My store never makes anyone stay past schedule, though there are a lot of us that will (myself included).

My personal policy is that, generally, I will stay late if I can. And I usually can stay late. This way, I can save my nos for the days where I actually have somewhere to be, or the days that I really don't feel like staying (and remain on everyone's good side).