What happens when you’re a part-time employee and your employer sends you home 15 minutes into your shift because there’s not enough work for you?
One of the lesser-known labor law regulations in California is the so-called “four-hour minimum” shift rule. It’s an important protection for shift workers in industries where the amount of work available isn’t always stable.
What’s the 4-hour minimum shift rule?
While it isn’t a strict “four-hour” rule in the way many assume, California’s ”reporting time pay” does provide guidelines that employers need to follow when employee shifts are unexpectedly cut short. Specifically, the law requires employers to compensate an employee they’ve sent home for at least half of their scheduled shift – but no less than two hours and no more than four hours of their pay.
That applies to both employees who have their shifts shortened suddenly after they’ve begun working and to employees who arrive at work and are sent home before they’ve ever clocked in. There are a few exceptions, such as when on-call employees are notified ahead of time that they’re not needed and when an employee voluntarily agrees to leave early or requests a shorter shift. Certain industries have different rules, particularly if they’re unionized.
The rule is designed to make sure that employees are not financially burdened due to last-minute shift changes. This particularly applies to those who work in retail, hospitality and other service industries where schedules can be somewhat unpredictable.
If you’re unsure if you’re due pay for canceled shifts and your employer seems less-than-forthcoming, it may be time to seek legal guidance.
