Most of the time, I like to go into the office to work. It’s lame working from home for me. When I have to do remote work, I’m only hanging out with my human that I see everyday anyway. He’s not even the fun one, but sometimes the power goes out in the office. That means it’s time to work from home.
I was a little nervous about working from home because I wanted to follow the rules and get paid properly. I know that I can still boost moral at home, but I can’t walk in and surprise co-workers like I usually do. Also, how am I supposed to meet my treat quota? So, I did some research, and I’m excited to share it with you.
Remote Hours Count the Same as In-Office Hours
I was concerned that working from home would affect my hours because people couldn’t actively see what I was doing. The Department of Labor issued a Field Assistance Bulletin that provides clarification on telework under the Fair Labor Standards Act and Family Medical Leave Act.
As a dog, I apparently don’t qualify for all of these laws like humans do. I wanted to skip this information, but our attorneys thought I needed to include it. Basically, the same breaks, hours, and rules apply for both remote work and in-office work. The FLSA allows short breaks, meal breaks, and even sleep time! This is great news because I do all three of those things. So, maybe I do qualify after all?
What Are the Biggest Changes Between Remote Work and In-Office Work According to the FLSA?
The biggest change is that anytime a human is interrupted while trying to take one of their breaks can result in time being worked. For example, when I’m trying to take my negotiated nap time and someone interrupts it so they can pet me, that’s time I’m working. It’s no longer considered a short break.
Most people have to deal with this when they are on call. When people are on call, they have to be completely disconnected from their phone for their time to be considered not working. Wait time is allowed according to the FLSA, even if no one is calling yet. People always make me wait for treats and sit and stay, but at least I know I’m getting a treat out of it.
If you’re working more than 40 hours a week from home, you will still qualify for overtime. Philip Oliphant specializes in overtime law for our firm. He can help you figure out if you have a claim.
Does Remote Work Affect FMLA?
Remote workers have the same FMLA qualifications as people who work in the office. The main thing to know is their personal residence does not qualify for FMLA. As long as they report to an office or location with enough employees, they should still qualify.
As a dog, I do not qualify for FMLA. That’s fine with me because I don’t have to pay for anything. That’s my owners’ job.
After working remotely today, I don’t think I like it as much. I like being able to work with my coworkers and see everybody. I understand that’s not for everyone though. If there is a dog waiting for you at home, then it must be hard being in the office.
Thank you for reading this Pawffice blog. We would like to stress that Archie is a dog, and not a lawyer. If you want more details on anything he talked about today, please click on the links throughout the article. If you want more Pawffice, visit our blog page.