I work in the automotive industry. If you watched the TV lately you've probably noticed that we are struggling a bit.

Anyway, my company is already scheduling to shutdown for a few weeks this year -- the week of Easter, the week of and after the 4th of July. They have decided to be sneaky and shutdown for a full week thereby not required to pay us for that period. However they are making us burn vacation (14 days). I only have 10 days of vacation. I've been told I am not going to be paid for days I can't cover with vacation.

The thing is my workload is not going to change. Being shutdown is going to force me work a shit load of overtime hours the weeks after to get caught back up -- I'm not paid for overtime.

This is really pissing me off and if they do go forward with this I'll probably be using the days off to interview elsewhere. I might just quit anyway.

Anyone know anything about the legalities -- I'm in SC.

[Edited on February 7, 2009 at 7:48 PM. Reason : oh yeah...]

2/7/2009 7:47:58 PM

You should be happy that you have a job that is willing to take measures other than axing to cope with the economic situation.

2/7/2009 7:53:07 PM

^ we've axed so many people its ridiculous. Gone from about 1,000 direct heads to around 600 in a year.

2/7/2009 7:57:00 PM

forcing employees to take unpaid time off is happening all over the place

i'd def use the days off to look for a new job and be glad to have any job right now

2/7/2009 7:57:09 PM

Yeah, I know a lot of places have folks on unpaid time off. We dropped our operations to 4 days weeks. Thing is my workload doesn't change. I'm going to get screwed.

I've been reading on different labor law sites, and the only thing I can't figure out if they can dock my pay for the days I don't have vacation to cover when shutting down a full week. Per the law if I work any (5 minutes even) during that week, I have to be paid for that week. But if I use one day of vacation to cover that week, should I get paid for the entire week, or just the one day I could cover with vacation.

[Edited on February 7, 2009 at 8:04 PM. Reason : I work 5 days as well -- I'm salary exempt]

2/7/2009 8:04:09 PM

I wish my job you say you now have a 4 day work week with adjusted pay. Fridays off and I still get paid enough to live? Haha let me get dat.

2/7/2009 8:15:35 PM

if you think you are going to be able to find some law to force a company that employs 600-1000 employees to change their policy you are crazy

2/7/2009 8:55:18 PM

well if you are off and not supposed to work, dont work

if your shit doesnt get done, it doesnt get done

2/7/2009 8:59:14 PM

you don't have a choice right now so quit bitching

i'm in the same boat (same industry) except it hasn't gotten to that YET...but it will

2/7/2009 9:15:21 PM

as long as you make $455 per week, or supervise more than 2 people, or make administrative decisions, and are ful time salaried, you sir are fucked

just be glad you don't work 70-80 hours some weeks like i do, its basically the same thing as cutting my pay in half

2/7/2009 9:52:12 PM

Quote :

"well if you are off and not supposed to work, dont work if your shit doesnt get done, it doesnt get done "

this is the approach i've been taking at my current job. its a breath of fresh air.

2/7/2009 9:53:08 PM

Oh well. Good thing it appears there are a lot of openings in my area per monster.

2/7/2009 11:01:35 PM

Awesome an Avon sighting!

2/8/2009 7:54:33 AM