Rhode Island enacted legislation (Senate Bill 1000) that amends report-in pay requirements. Senate Bill 1000 took effect on July 19, 2019.
Background:
Rhode Island requires employers to pay employees three times their regular hourly rate when the employee reports for duty, but is not given at least three hours of work for their shift.
Senate Bill 1000:
Senate Bill 1000 amends existing law to allow for shifts to be scheduled for less than three hours, provided they are entered into voluntarily and agreed upon by both the employer and employee.
In the event that an employee reports for duty at the beginning of a shift and the employer doesn’t give them any work, the employer must pay the employee at least three times their regular hourly rate or the amount they would have earned for any shifts consisting of less than three hours.
There are exceptions for certain students enrolled full-time at Rhode Island colleges or universities who are also employees of the college or university they attend.
Compliance Recommendations:
Rhode Island employers should review the law to ensure employees are properly scheduled and compensated. If the employee agrees to work less than a three hour shift, make sure to have a written agreement signed by the employer and employee in place.
Please contact your dedicated service professional with any questions.