Overtime rules routinely violated: study

MISSISSAUGA, Ont.—A majority of hourly workers around the world believe their employer has violated laws or rules governing overtime, according to a recent survey commissioned by The Workforce Institute at Kronos Inc. and conducted by Harris Interactive.

The Kronos Global Overtime survey also looks at the frequency of overtime around the world and employee perceptions of how fairly their employers provide overtime.

Hourly wage workers in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, India, Mexico, the U.K., and the U.S. were surveyed.

The study showed that hourly wage workers around the world are at least somewhat aware of the rules and laws governing overtime and compensation where they live—from a high of 96 per cent in China to a low of 72 per cent in Australia&mdash

Respondents in every region—responses ranged from 88 per cent high in China to 47 per cent low in the U.S.—believe their employers had at some point violated overtime rules.

Hourly wage workers around the world report mandatory overtime:

• 68 per cent in India
• 67 per cent in China
• 58 per cent the U.K.
• 37 per cent in Australia
• 35 per cent in France
• 33 per cent in Brazil
• 26 per cent in the U.S.
• 24 per cent in Mexico
• 20 per cent in Canada

“Seeing that significant numbers of employees around the world believe their employers have violated overtime laws should serve as a wake-up call to employers everywhere,” said Paul DeCamp, national chair, wage and hour practice, Jackson Lewis LLP, and former Administrator of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division.

“If your employees perceive that you are out of compliance, you are at risk for a wage-and-hour lawsuit which can be incredibly costly even if you are ultimately found to be in compliance. Investment in wage and hour compliance should be seen as part of risk management for any smart business.”