There are many ways companies will attempt to cut workers’ pay. In the case of FedEx, drivers report getting their wages slashed due to “day rates.” Read on to learn what they mean by “day rates,” and then contact The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker at 800-333-0000 if you have your own wage dispute you’d like to discuss with an employment law attorney.
What Are Day Rates?
No one is immune from delays in their workday due to crashes, construction, or bad weather. If a FedEx driver gets slowed down by any of this, what should have been an eight-hour workday can become a ten-hour workday. However, if they are paid a day rate – i.e. paid a flat fee for the day – they are losing out on pay for those extra two hours they must work.
Independent Contractors Are Most Likely to Be Affected
A driver who works with FedEx as an independent contractor is most likely to see an issue with a day rate. Any driver who is not a contractor is likely limited to forced arbitration, which prevents them from taking their employer to court. This is good news for FedEx as they have already been sued for this exact policy. Independent contractors are able to take their employer to court if they are not seeing the wages they are supposed to.
The Problem with Day Rates
You may think: Day rates have their advantages too, they aren’t all bad. This is true but in the event that you are working more hours than you are being paid for, day rates are a problem. If you are not paid for the hours you work it is wage theft, plain and simple. Even if you agreed to it. Even if it is considered a regular part of your job. In some cases, you may even be owed overtime for the extra hours you are working.
What to Do If You Have Been a Victim of This
If you have not been paid for all the hours you work due to being paid a daily rate, then the first step is to talk to others at your company to find out if this is happening to others. If it is, then you may want to work as a group to convince your employer to pay fairly.
Whether you take the issue on yourself or with a group, The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker is here to help. We work with a local firm that specializes in employment law to bring you the best results for your specific case. Call us at 800-333-0000 now and we can discuss your options.
