Benjamin Franklin once said, “Remember that time is money.”

If Mr. Franklin is correct, why aren’t I paid for every hour I work a week?

Like most Americans, since entering the workforce full-time, I have never worked a forty-hour work. It’s at least fifty. Yet, any time I work more than forty hours it's considered “part of the job” and I am not paid for my excess hours.

How is it legal for employers to force employees to work without paying them for their time?

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

Employees who are exempt do not qualify for overtime. 

Requirements differ from state to state, but the FLSA classifies exempt employees as any job that falls into these categories:

Professional
Administrative
Executive
Outside sales
Computer-related

These are broad and vague classifications. I imagine by design, to allow employers to avoid paying employees for every minute they spend working. 

Here's how Investopedia explains the pros and cons of exempt employees:

"The pros of being an exempt employee start with the security of knowing that you have a steady paycheck. Also, exempt employees tend to earn more than hourly ones and have access to such extras as retirement benefits, including individual retirement accounts (IRAs), 401(k) plans, and pensions; bonuses; employer-sponsored healthcare plans; and paid vacation time and sick days.

The downside comes largely in not being eligible for overtime. Depending on the mindset of your employer, you could find yourself working long hours to fulfill an overloaded work portfolio without any recourse for additional reimbursement or reducing the stress brought on by the long hours. In short, you are at the mercy of your boss."

This is absolutely disgraceful, unethical, and exploitative of the American worker. 

I'm asking the President and Congress to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act to ensure all American workers are paid for every minute they spend on the job. Prices are soaring in our country. The rich 1% of our country are doubling their wealth. The rest of us? We're not even being paid fairly for our time and efforts. Exempt employees should no longer be a classification of the American worker.

- Every worker who spends more than 32 hours a week working for a company deserves to be paid for every hour they are "on the job." Including remote work.

- Every worker who spends more than 32 hours a week working for a company deserves healthcare, retirement savings, sick/vacation days, and benefits to improve their quality of life. 

The era of exploiting the American worker is over. Let's start by fixing this 80-year-old law. Sign here.