Working for free
In New Jersey, 33 Pemberton Township police officers claim they are performing duties before their shifts start but are not being compensated.
In a lawsuit filed last month obtained by The Trentonian, the officers claim the township is violating the Fair Labor Standards Act for unpaid overtime compensation by requiring the officers to conduct several actions prior to being on the clock. “The officers are required to perform 15 minutes of work before their shifts start,” the lawsuit states. “The officers are not compensated due to the defendant’s policies.” Such duties outlined in the suit, include preparing the in-car video recording system, reporting to daily roll call, obtaining a shotgun from the armory and inspecting vehicles.