Reporting Time & Show-Up Pay
You drive an hour to the site, and the foreman says, “No work today, it’s raining.” Do you get paid anything? Federal law usually says no, but some states, many union contracts and the rules on waiting time can say yes.
- All workers
- Construction
- California
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- Rhode Island
- District of Columbia
Federal law
- The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) doesn’t require show-up pay. If you’re sent home right away, you may get nothing under federal law.
- But if you’re told to wait on site until the rain stops or materials arrive, that waiting time is work time and must be paid. Being “engaged to wait” is part of the job.
- If you’re free to leave and do what you want until a set time, that time usually isn’t paid.
- Time you spend at a required morning meeting, safety talk or loading the truck before being sent home counts as work time. See What Counts as Paid Time.
States with reporting time pay
Some states require a minimum amount of pay when you report for a scheduled shift and are sent home early or given no work. The rules differ a lot and often have exceptions and industry limits. Examples:
| State | The basic rule |
|---|---|
| California | Pay for half the scheduled shift, at least 2 and no more than 4 hours, at your regular rate. Exceptions include utility failures and causes outside the employer’s control, such as some weather events. |
| Massachusetts | At least 3 hours at minimum wage when scheduled for 3 or more hours and sent home early, with some exceptions |
| New York | Call-in pay under the state’s wage orders, generally up to 4 hours at minimum wage; details depend on the industry |
| Connecticut, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Rhode Island, District of Columbia | Some form of minimum reporting pay, with limits by industry and situation |
Some cities and states also have “predictable scheduling” laws, mostly for retail, food service and hotels, that require pay when schedules change at the last minute. Check your state labor department for the details that apply to your job.
Union contracts
Many building trades contracts include show-up pay (often 2 to 4 hours) when a worker reports as told and no work is available, with rules about weather and notice. Some also have call-out pay for being called back after hours. Check your collective bargaining agreement or ask your steward. See How Unions Work.
Protect yourself
- Ask your employer how weather days and cancellations are handled before the season starts
- Give your phone number so you can be told the night before when work is called off
- Write down the time you arrived, who told you to wait or leave, and when
- Keep texts about start times and cancellations
- If you were told to wait and weren’t paid for it, raise it with payroll, then with your state labor department or the U.S. DOL
Salaried, exempt workers: If you’re paid a true salary and are exempt from overtime, your employer generally can’t dock your pay for a partial week when work isn’t available.
Standards & references
- 29 CFR Part 785: Hours worked, including waiting time (785.14–785.17)
- California DLSE: Reporting time pay
- U.S. DOL: State labor offices
- See also: What Counts as Paid Time · Paychecks & Wage Theft
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