If your employer stops 15 mins pay if you arrive 5 mins late,can you refuse to work until the 15 mins is up?

Texas Tiger

Yes legally you can.

RIGGS

a firm i used to work for,allowed a 5 minute leeway,after that if you were still late they too docked you quarter of an hours pay? which really you couldn't argue with? i learnt my lesson after i was late a couple of times in one week ill tell you? i started setting my alarm clock 15Min's early? if i were you just take it on the chin,and learn from it?

Silkeez

Maybe, legally, yes but I think you'll be finding a new job right after your 15 protest. Happy Job Hunting!

LillyB

You could but it is not going to do you any favours with your employer. If you want to keep the job I wouldn't haggle for ten minutes and just don't be late.

Wiz

I suppose so but if you want to keep your job sometimes its best to bite your tongue

steve j

It depends on your attitude. If you are late on a regular basis then I would start docking your pay or expect you to make up the hours at the end of the day. If you are only late once in a blue moon these things happen and I would tolerate it. Any boss who docks your pay in the latter incident would be out of order in my opinion.
If you got all stroppy over this issue you would be signing on at the benefits office on Monday. Suggest you set your alarm clock a few minutes earlier.

DK Julie

Depends on whether you'd like to stay employed. Employers can find any number of reasons to get rid of a troublesome employee. Best not irritate your boss to much or they may count you as a liability and want to replace you. Show up for work on time.

Mistress_T

People keep saying that if you refuse to work for 15mins you'd lose your job. You wont, as long as you dont make it a habit. People seem to forget that work actually NEED people to work in order for the company to work. We employees are a lot more powerful than we think.

Sounds like you work in a place where I use to work, a market research company. If you came in 5 mins late, you got 15 mins deducted. Needless to say I didn't work for those 15 mins and I still have the job.

Oracle

You could but then you would be out of work!!
You should start work on time so if you turn up and take your time taking a coat off and settling in then they would have the same right to stop 15 minutes!

Ellie

You could, but your boss could be difficult with you and make life hell. It used to annoy me at Morrisons- you could get stoppped 15 min pay for being 3min late (although i never was- i have a thing about being late) but stay 10 mins over because they cant be arsed to arrange cover on time and you get s** all.

gamegirl

A bit childish of your employer if this is the first time you are late (or if it doesn't happen on a regular basis). But if this is a weekly occurance, I can understand an employer getting the hump.

I would just (besides making sure I wasn't late again) spend 10 minutes extra making coffee, chatting to a friend or going to the loo! :D

stephersc2000

If you want to have a case against them with the government or even with higher-ups in the company don't be insubordinate. The best thing to do is to put a smile on and be a good worker, then report this person to HR. If you refuse to work and you go to HR, it could be a problem because your boss will say you're insubordinate and it will cloud the whole issue. Put in your time, keep your own journal or log of your time and when you get your check, if the two don't match, report him. It is illegal for you to be denied any amount of pay.

MinibabeUK73

If you were only 5 mins late, cant you make up the time in your lunch break? It seems a bit harsh to stop 15 mins pay just for 5 minutes late!!
I mean, if you arrived 5 minutes early, I bet they wouldnt PAY you for 15!!!

Anne W

Legally, yes you can. Technically, no you can't.

Without-style

If you was five minutes late, and the boss has threatened fifteen minutes, no, you would only have 10 minutes left, you have already wasted five minutes, if I was your boss I'd sack for that miscalculation alone!

Times are there for a reason, it obviously isn't a 'one-off' otherwise your boss would not have been pushed to use such an extreme way of getting it through to you that it is their time and money you're wasting, so now he'll waste yours.

Enjoy the job hunt.

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