Employer Cheating Employees Out of Overtime Pay.?

Question

6 years ago, my employer hired me under the classification of 'exempt' as a salaried employee. Although I make equivalent of $21.63 per hour, I am asked to travel frequently and do a number of retail trade shows throughout the year, and this often involves working 45 to 60 hours per week— traveling on Sundays, and physically assembling and packing the trade-show booth (think steel components) along with a bunch of other company employees. I was originally hired as inside sales and have since been given the responsibility of at least two other part time employees within the company whose positions have been eliminated, yet, I do not meet the federal guidelines for 'exempt'.
I am also aware of this employer's practice of falsifying the hourly workers time sheets in order to lower total number of hours worked in any given week; as to avoid paying them overtime as well. This is a common practice at our company along with the sales tax evasion I see frequently. 

My question is; do I blow the whistle and take the heat, the persecution and the high probability that I will be escorted off the property and mugged by my someone hired to do this, or at the very least, fired for some other excuse? I am having a difficult time with this decision, because I know this will cost my employer plenty; maybe enough to force the company into bankruptcy. Today in this job market, there are up to 200 local families depending on the survival of this company.

Your ethical input is appreciated.

Pea Pod · Accepted Answer

NO as a "SALARIED" employee they DON'T have to pay you over time. Welcome to the real world.

The Arbiter of common sense · Answer

You sound like an exempt employee to me.  Many sales associates work the type and amount of work that you do.  I can't comment on other issues like falsifying hourly time sheets, that;s illegal but really not you concern.  

Ethically, you are thinking of doing this because you consider yourself underpaid.  You are trying to justify it by claiming other issues.  You need to decide if that makes you feel better or not, when all of you could be out of work.

Anonymous · Answer

Way back when, I worked for a company that didn't pay overtime. Someone turned them into the labor board, but we never found out who. Their books were confiscated and they ended up paying each employee the overtime they would have made. They only go back three years. I wouldn't worry about the companies 'feelings' because they are certainly not worried about their employees.

Athena · Answer

Our "ethical" input ?????

Ethically you turn him in.  In fact, ethically YOU are in the same boat as you know theses crimes are being committed and you are not stopping them.  YOU could be an accessory to these. 

The job thing is tricky.  I don't care what new jobs you have picked up, it is what is on paper that will stand up in court.

But the tax evasion, that is where you and your company are in trouble.    And that you are doing all theses things you know are illegal . . . .  Well if someone else blows the whistle the company will grab you as a shield.

d301 · Answer

the answer is simple. turn them in and quit. if you are truly worried about ethics then is there another choice? values/principles are something act on, not something you talk about

dourdan · Answer

it is wrong, but like you said- for many people this is all they can get.

if you are unhappy (and can offord to) quit.

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Employer Cheating Employees Out of Overtime Pay.?

6 Answers