US Labor Laws

[EngTeach]

This is a shot in the dark and I will call appropriate agencies on Monday but.....

Does anyone know if piece work is legal in the US and if so what actually constitutes piecework?

My sister was informed by her boss that her department is going to be paid what they called a commission, but they are not in sales. She works in the Receiving Dept of a watch company and instead of an hourly rate will now be paid based on how many pieces of merchandise she can unpack, ticket, enter info into computer and ship out to the appropriate store location each day.

This sounds fishy to me. We do not generally work with contracts in private industry, so there is no back up on that respect.

She really needs to leave there. UGH!!!

Thanks, in advance,
ET

I love how they wait until closing time on a Friday to tell them this.

[Hawkwalk]

There are some answers here but I am not sure how up to date this is.

http://www.answers.com/topic/piecework?cat=tec hnology

In the UK it is common for some types of work but workers must still be paid the minimum wage so if they are slow then pay must be made up.

[kempie]

http://www.dol.gov/compliance/topics/wages.htm

[EngTeach]

Thank you both. I was only looking at New York State"s labor page. The US one is more comprehensive. I will sit and try to translate the legalese into "English" tomorrow when I am not so tired!!!
Thanks again.