Cable Installers Entitled to Overtime Pay at Time and a Half
Many cable companies across the country provide 24/7 service to their customers, in order to ensure that TV service is interrupted as little as possible.
That means that not only are some cable installers on call outside of the typical 9:00 a.m. To 5:00 p.m. business hours, but they are also working more than 40 hours in one week.
Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, cable installers are entitled to receive overtime pay at one and a half times their hourly rate for all hours worked over 40. Unfortunately, some companies fail to follow this FLSA mandate, and incorrectly treat installers as independent contractors, or misclassify the worker under the some of the exemptions allowed within the Act.
Many times, a cable installer may miss out on overtime because he or she is not being paid for all of the hours spent on the job. Installers are supposed to be paid for all hours they are at work, which includes the time it takes to travel to and from the different job sites.
Below is a list of job duties during which cable installers should be paid, according to the Fair Labor Standards Act:
- any sort of company-mandated training
- time it takes to travel between job sites
- attendance at company meetings
- ordering materials
- stocking and preparing the company vehicles
- the time it takes to prep the home or business for cable installation (i.e. drilling holes, adjusting cables, etc.)
- showing customers how to operate their new equipment
- any work that is done before clocking in or after clocking out
- the time it takes to clean the company vehicle
- gathering supplies
- completing paperwork outside of the office or location of work
- any time spent waiting for customers to arrive
It is also important to note that if a cable installer must work during part or all of his or her lunch break, he or she is entitled to be paid for that time as well.
The FLSA also requires cable installers to be paid for training regardless of method used. For instance, installers should be paid even if the training takes place online from the worker's home.
If you are a cable installer who is not receiving fair overtime pay, you need information. Contact the Texas fair overtime attorneys at Kennedy Hodges, LLP for your free copy of The Ten Biggest Mistakes that Can Hurt Your Wage and Overtime Claim by calling 888.449.2068. Or fill out our online form to schedule your free case evaluation where an attorney will sit down with you, review your claim and provide you with the best solution to protect your paycheck.
