What Can You Do If You Are Not Being Paid For Your Time?

If your employer is instructing you to report before the start of your shift, and if failing to do so would result in disciplinary action or some other negative consequence, then you should be compensated for that time. 

If your employer refuses to compensate you for that time, that could be grounds for constructive dismissal, which means that you might be entitled to resign and seek compensation. 

Here’s what you can do if you are in that situation: 

Raise the issue. Write to your employer and state that you are currently being instructed to report to work before the start of your shift but you are not being compensated for that time.

Request a fix. Indicate that if it is mandatory for you to report prior to the start of the shift, you want to be compensated for that time.

State the consequence. Inform your employer that if they are going to continue instructing you to report before your shift, without compensating you, then you may have no choice but to resign on the basis of constructive dismissal.

You should always seek advice before resigning your job. 

Employers usually ask that you arrive before the official start time of your shift so that you could set up for customers and get everything prepared to do your work. But this is also work, and you should be compensated for it. 

Your employer has to compensate you for the time that you work. And if they fail to do so, you may be entitled to resign and seek compensation.