Legal Question in Employment Law in Georgia

If I am an hourly employee in the state of Georgia can I be sent home because its slow? It seems weird to be that if I work efficiently and quickly I get paid less than the guy who drags his behind. The schedule may say 8pm til 6am but if the work is complete they will send us home at 3am. Thus I drove to work expecting to work 8-6 but now I'm only working 8-3. I feel like this is a form of changing the schedule. Is it legal? Do I have any rights to get paid for what I was scheduled?


Asked on 4/09/13, 7:16 am

2 Answers from Attorneys

Scott Riddle Law Office of Scott B. Riddle, LLC

Employees work and get paid based on the needs of their employer, not the oversight of government or the legal system (with exceptions for minimum wage, and the like). Of course, it is legal for an employer to pay hourly works for time actually worked. There is no general legal right to a job or paycheck, and employers can change schedules, reduce hours, suspend, terminate, etc., with no notice and for any or no reason. Employees have the equal right to quit and find a job that suits their needs.

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Answered on 4/09/13, 7:21 am
Michael Caldwell DeLong, Caldwell, Bridgers & Fitzpatrick LLC

Scott is right. Can't improve on his answer.

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Answered on 4/09/13, 1:45 pm


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