Boss tells restaurant worker to clock out when business is slow, sparking debate

The employees in the service industry mostly get paid by the hours they work. Wouldn't it be nice if one had to clock out while working their shift because it is a slow day at the restaurant? It would be better if they get paid for all the hours they are spending at the workplace, almost doing nothing. Reddit user u/awkward_cheddar has found herself in a tricky situation that is affecting her income lately. She shares how her boss always tells the workers at the restaurant to clock out when there aren't many customers. But there is a downside to it. 

"Around 2 weeks ago, my boss and I were standing by the clock on screen. He comes up to me and tells me that when the restaurant is slow and there’s nothing to do, I need to clock out and only clock back in when we get an order or I find something to do (things that are not a cook’s job) I replied with 'well if there’s nothing to do, I just sit here and not get paid?' And he goes 'well there’s always something to do,'" the restaurant worker wrote in her post. The boss redirected her to do odd jobs in the basement where she could scrub or clean random things. This is something she was never required to do earlier.

"We are a small business and don’t get many customers, so I’ve spent most of my shifts unpaid. For an 8-hour shift I’m only getting paid for 2-3 hours of it and he keeps track of the clock-in and clock-out times even when he’s not there," the post continued. She revealed how the boss responded to her when she complained about the way things were going on in the restaurant. He dismisses her problem with getting paid for fewer hours and tells the worker that he is "paying her for labor and he can't pay her to not do anything."

The boss also attempts to gaslight the worker by telling her how he feels while running the restaurant when he is barely making any money and has to get a second job to sustain himself. The worker mentions that many of the restaurant employees are working two jobs just like the boss. "I’m putting my 2 weeks in today but I’m very upset because my paychecks are struggling. Thank you in advance for any advice," the post concludes. The Reddit users empathized with the restaurant worker's situation and shared some thoughtful comments.

u/Josmanver7 noted, "Yeah, that’s wage theft. If you’re scheduled for 8 hours, they can’t just tell you to clock out when it’s slow and then expect you to clock back in whenever work comes in. Report this—it’s not okay for them to make you work unpaid." u/Cautious_Frosting_24 advised, "Telling you to clock out is wrong. However in the world of catering. If you've got time to lean, you have time to clean. Just walk around with a broom and look busy." u/Kirby3413 added, "Sounds like he doesn’t know how to run a successful business. He could probably avoid paying you altogether and just do the serving himself. Also working in a restaurant there is always something to clean. Doesn’t sound like it’s a good place to work in period."