By David McDowell, Rose Law Group partner and director of Litigation Department | Mediastars Worldwide
Its no secret that working in broadcasting requires more than just producing, writing, shooting or presenting a story on-air. Are you being compensated for everything you’re expected to do?
Technology has made the world a very small place AND stations/networks want you to be connected and communicating through all sorts of platforms. Clients and followers of this Agency know that we’re huge proponents and negotiators of successful social media branding. But have you thought about all those texts and emails you get from the station? What about the pressure to continually post on your station branded social media platforms?
David McDowell is a partner and director of the Litigation Department at Rose Law Group. He says, certain employees are entitled to overtime when sending and receiving work related texts and emails:
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) (29 U.S.C. § 201 et seq.) requires employers to pay non-exempt employees for all overtime hours worked – including any overtime spent emailing, texting, or on the phone. More importantly, employers are liable for failure to make these required overtime payments even if the employee fails to record the time and even if the time is in violation of company policy.
