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Does My Boss Have to Pay Me for Cleaning Up After My Shift Ends?
If you’re wondering “Does my boss have to pay me for cleaning up after my shift ends?”, the short answer is likely yes. Under both federal and Ohio law, employees must be compensated for all time spent working, including after-hours tasks such as cleaning, closing down equipment, or completing paperwork. Employers who fail to pay for this time may be violating the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the Ohio Minimum Fair Wage Standards Act (Ohio Rev. Code § 4111).
Let’s break down your rights and how an employment lawyer can help.
Cleaning Up After Shift Ends Must Be Paid Under the Law
Under the FLSA and Ohio wage laws, any time an employee is required to work – whether scheduled or not – is compensable. This includes cleaning, sanitizing, or restocking after your shift ends, as long as it benefits the employer and is not purely voluntary.
For example:
A restaurant employee asked to mop floors after clocking out must be paid.
A retail worker restocking shelves after their scheduled end time is also entitled to compensation.
These tasks are part of your employment duties, and your employer is legally obligated to compensate you for this time.
Off-the-Clock Work: A Common Wage Violation
Many wage and hour claims stem from off-the-clock work, where employers ask or allow employees to perform tasks before clocking in or after clocking out. Even if your manager says, “It’ll just take a minute,” that minute, and every one after it, must be paid.
The U.S. Department of Labor explicitly states that:
“Employees must be paid for all time they are required to be on duty or to be at a prescribed workplace.”
Ohio law mirrors this position. If you’re being told to clean up, close out registers, or finish side tasks after your recorded shift, you may have a valid claim for unpaid wages or unpaid overtime, depending on your weekly hours.
What If I’m Salaried?
Being salaried does not automatically exempt you from overtime or post-shift compensation. Only “exempt” employees (typically executives, professionals, or administrators meeting strict criteria) can legally work beyond 40 hours without additional pay.
If you are salaried but still non-exempt, and your employer expects post-shift work like cleaning, you may still be entitled to overtime.
Refer to 29 C.F.R. § 541 for detailed federal exemption definitions, and speak with an employment attorney to assess whether your classification is legal.
How Employers Try to Avoid Paying for Cleanup Time
Unfortunately, many employers attempt to dodge legal obligations through tactics such as:
Rounding down time entries
Instructing employees to clock out before finishing tasks
Failing to monitor or approve after-hours work
These practices can lead to serious wage violations. Courts have ruled against employers in similar cases. For example, in Kuebel v. Black & Decker Inc., 643 F.3d 352 (2d Cir. 2011), the court held that an employer was responsible for unpaid work it knew or should have known about, even if the employee didn’t formally report it.
You May Be Entitled to Back Pay and Damages
If you’ve routinely been cleaning up after your shift without pay, you may be owed compensation. This could include:
Back pay for unpaid hours
Overtime pay for hours exceeding 40 per week
Liquidated damages (double the amount owed) in many cases
Attorney’s fees if you pursue a legal claim successfully
The FLSA allows for recovery going back up to two years, or three years in cases of willful violations.
Contact Coffman Legal for a Free Consultation
If you’re asking “Does my boss have to pay me for cleaning up after my shift ends?”, you may already be experiencing a wage violation. The employment lawyers at Coffman Legal can help you determine whether your rights have been violated and how to recover what you’re owed.
Call today for a free consultation and protect your rights under Ohio and federal wage laws.
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