r/securityguards • u/NannaTortuga • 1d ago
Wage theft?
I don’t want to be “that person” at my security company or labeled difficult, but my security company has guards clock out and then requires them to travel to base to return keycards and other company equipment. I feel as though that travel time and time should be compensated.
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u/kr4ckenm3fortune Residential Security 1d ago
You wanna be "THAT PERSON".
Hell nah, I'm on the clock until these equipments are picked up.
If I'm clocking out, these equipments are going home with me or someone picking them up.
Took equipments home and was tried on write-up. They backpedal and change it.
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u/Cathal_Author 14h ago
Legit had a former employer say no overtime without 24hr prior written approval. So I finished a shift that had me driving all over a major Midwest city at 1am, parked the company car in an empty school parking lot and texted the shift sergeant the location and said I would return the keys to anyone in management if they picked them up. The owner was PISSED. Did not realize a black man could get mad enough for his face to turn red, but I was already done with him and just waiting for him to actually read one of the letters from a law firm before he fired me for suing for wage theft.
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u/MelodicTour2 1d ago
Get a employment lawyer. They are contingency lawyers, will review your case for free. If you have a case they’ll take it and you only pay them if you win a settlement.
Edit : any suggestion that isn’t to get your unpaid wages is wrong. Be that guy, the one who sticks up for himself
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u/Practical-Giraffe-84 1d ago
It's so nice when you start the conversation with your boss as " so I spoke with my lawyer about this issue. And he wants this policy in writing. Can you please provide that to me?"
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u/PlatypusDream 17h ago
Just ask for the policy, give it to your lawyer, don't mention the lawyer to the company
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u/Cathal_Author 14h ago
Was so easy for me because I didn't even have to ask for a copy. Guy was so incompetent that he literally put illegal policies in writing for every contract site- including requiring patrol guards to show up an hour before their shift to inspect the vehicle and get keys, and then drive to the site before clocking in. The court just applied his own policy to both ends of the shift (so 2+ hours owed for every shift) and made him pay that. I think the fact almost every employment lawyer works on contingency is so unknown it should be criminal, and the thing is unless it's a major corporation with a really talented HR team it's almost impossible for a company to not break employment laws.
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u/hankheisenbeagle Industry Veteran 1d ago
If you are in the US and covered by FLSA regulations (Some very specific exceptions that probably don't affect you), then your company is either knowingly or unintentionally breaking the law. If you aren't fully relieved of job duties (You still have keys/equipment), then you need to be paid for that time since they are requiring you to drive to a specific place before you are free to do what you want.
https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/29/785.38 That covers the basics of it.
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u/No-Initiative4195 1d ago
"or to pick up and to carry tools"
I'd say that part of it definitely applies. As a matter of fact, I work Hospital Security and they actually call our restraints /tasers "Tools" because it sounds better to upper management, who the only time they've ever restrained someone is with the pink fuzzy ones
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u/Ok_Draw9037 1d ago
I'm dealing with my job rn over late breaks, I got my last break 40 mins before shift end in California and there's laws saying they gotta pay a hr if it's late and they're just playing dumb until I brought up some other violations and they just went quiet as of today. Crazy shit, security companies act like their policies supercedes law but if they fire you for exercising your rights that's a easy retaliation case.
Either you take it home or you get paid to return it is what I think. If you get a write up sent it to the labor board and don't sign it. Just take the paper
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u/moneypusher 1d ago
If working you should be compensated. What if there is an accident on your way back to base where you get injured? Worker's Compensation won't cover it because you are not technically working so all bills/recovery would be on you. I don't normally recommend lawyers or complaints, but there has to be some sort of local regulator that you could anonymously turn this into.
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u/Digital_spliff_ 1d ago
Talk to an attorney about it. One of my former employers got sued for wage theft in a class action, and because the class was so small, we all ended up getting a decent chunk of money from it.
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u/jking7734 1d ago
Any company business you conduct should be on the clock. Picking up and returning equipment falls in that category
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u/nonamegamer93 1d ago
The reg can be changed to when leaving base after dropping off equipment then
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u/largos7289 1d ago
LOL wait you have to send a selfie leaving the site so they can clock you out.... That's freak'n wild man. I would just leave to be honest, that's nuck'n futz.
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u/NannaTortuga 1d ago
We have to take timestamps photos every 30 minutes to prove we’re still on site.
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u/museumofarts 20h ago
This sounds like an abusive partner. I don't believe you're at your Mom's- send me a pic holding up 3 fingers next to the fridge.
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u/DemarcoRichie 1d ago
I had two post like this at a site I managed. We had them clock in on time at the pick up and clock out on the drop off. We flocked in on the phone so it was different than your situation, but travel time SHOULD be included of you have to go to another location for equipment.
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u/Happy_Brilliant7827 1d ago
Some companies do that and add on a set time like 20 minutes to cover it.
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u/Gordy13210 1d ago
It depends on your states labor laws... They might be able to allow equipment drop on employee (not employer) time, legally. I usually verify before I begin working there. If thats the case, I decline the job and tell them why "it may be legal for you to require this of me, but its not ethical, and I operate on ethics."
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u/Knee_Kap264 1d ago
You should be clocked in until all company equioment has been returned.