Can my boss change my hours after two years, start a point system of termination for not working new hours.?

Question

I have worked for two and a half years for this company. I was hired in at 8-3:30 and now we have all been told that our new hours are from 8 to whenever the job is done. I am a single mother of two and now it is summer so i have to have both my children in daycare. I work with mainly older women who's children are grown and out of the house, so they have no worries about when we get off. I on the otherhand have to get dinner ready and baths and just be a mom, and it is hard to do when we dont get off untill 6 or 7. Now on top of all this my daycare provider has said she wont watch the children past 5, what should i do.

Answer 1

I am an employment law attorney. Yes, they can do that.  The best thing to do is just talk VERY KINDLY to your employer.  Explain clearly the problem.  Explain what a great hardship it is on you--they may be willing to work something out.

Be persistent.  If your boss won't help you out, try talking to your boss's superior.  However, approach it with kindness and keeping in mind that they are well within their rights to do that.

Good luck to you--I know how tough these things are!

*****As to the unemployment issue, it varies state to state.  In some places, they will consider unavailable child care "good cause" and in others they will not.  In any state, to show good cause, you will have to prove that you tried to work the problem out with your employer (like I suggested above) and that you tried but failed to find alternative child care.  

I know how frustrating this is, so good luck to you.  Sorry the answer wasn't more positive.  The law is not very helpful to employees--it favors employers.

Answer 2

If your application specifically stated that you could not work past 3:30, and they hired you anyway then you may have an arguable case. Otherwise, your boss is full within his rights to request his employees to work when he needs them to. And make sure if you are going over time, you get overtime pay. I am afraid that if your employer wont budge on the issue, you will have to start looking for a new job, or a new babysitter.

Answer 3

The boss can set your hours, however, if your weekly total exceeds 40 hours, you should be paid overtime.