I have heard that there is a law that employers have to pay a minimum of hours worked for part time employees who work on the clock. e.i. An employee comes in to work on an unschedualed day (because he/she is asked too) and works only 1.5 hrs. By law he/she has to be paid for three hours. Is this true? Is it Federal or State level? What resource can I use to find this law?

Rita Risser responds:

Many states have laws requiring minimum or show up pay. In California, for example, it is 3 hours. This is required if the employee comes in on a day when they are scheduled to work longer, but are sent home early, or on a day when they are not regularly scheduled to work. There are also some exceptions if the short hours are due to acts of God.