How many hours can you legally be required to work in a day?

it depends on how old you are. I’m from Pittsburgh so i dont know about you but 16 and under its 8, if your older there isnt really a limit

Mostly, it depends on how badly you want to keep your job.

They can require you to work as many hours as they’d like, in most circumstances. The catch is that they have to pay you according to state and federal laws. If you are an hourly worker that would add up significantly for multiple hours over 8/day or 40/week.

I work 24 hours on, 48 hours off, so I guess the answer is all of them.

Zero. No one can require you to work at all as slavery was outlawed 143 years ago.

From the California Department of Industrial Relations:
Eight hours of labor constitutes a day’s work, and employment beyond eight hours in any workday or more than six days in any workweek is permissible provided the employee is compensated for the overtime…

So while AstroChuck’s answer is actually more accurate (there is no legal mandate to work in most situations) from what I could see your employer could ask you to work the whole day, provided you get adequate breaks and overtime. I know here in Ontario, Canada we have certain rules about maximum hours worked per certain period, I don’t know if the same is true where you are.

California labor laws do not apply to federal workers in California, however.

Kudos to AstroChuck for the first answer.

Ever work on a corporate acquisition or spin-off, when there is more coffee in your veins than blood?

Of course I am exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938.

SRM

@ astro;
I don’t think they apply to state workers either.

They should.

In California if you are called in or scheduled to work you must be paid a minimum of 2 hours. That is once you report to work you are guaranteed 2 hours. When you are required to work a split shift, each part must be at least 2 hours and if there is a 2 hour or more break in the schedule you must be paid an add’l hour at minimum wage.

If I’m not mistaken, employers can“t be forced to work beyond 8 hours in California.
Not counting federal workers.

Forced is the operative word. In California you may be fired without a reason as long as it is not discriminatory, ie race, gender, age etc. But if you are not working under a contract and you won’t work overtime they can find someone who will. The answer to most labor questions is get a contract…YAY, UNIONS!

I’m with you 100%, galileogirl. I grew up in a pro union household and have been a shop steward at work and am regularly a delegate to my union’s conventions. Union all the way!

whoo hoo Unions!

Snoopy-say it loud, say it proud!

UNION! UNION! UNION!

Look at me! I’m Norma Rae!
UNION! UNION! UNION!

After reading my posts you may find it hard to believe, but I am a card carrying shift steward of my IAFF local. I hate that we needed a union, but I’m proud to be a part.

Go AstroChuck!

It depends on the labor regulations which vary by state, and type of work. there are very strict regulations for airline pilots, truck drivers, and such, but other workers have no set limits on how long they can work, but those who are asked to work over 8 hours a day or over 40 hours a week are supposed to get overtime pay, under most circumstances.