Is it really illegal to volunteer for a job and not get paid? I did this because the manager didn't want to hire teenagers so I wanted to show him I could work. If he doesn't pay me tomorrow I'm not volunteering anymore but I was wondering if it was legal
by 
Plasticky
ANSWERS: 4
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It is legal to volunteer. It is also legal for the manager not to pay you for the work you volunteered for. If he did not agree to pay you, you don't have an agreement, either written or oral, so he doesn't have to pay you. If he does pay you, then ask him if you have a job.
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Unless the company is a not-for-profit company then I believe it's illegal to employ someone as a volunteer and not pay them. (unless you are working a co-op for college credit). This is basic fundamental knowledge under the minimum wage laws.
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Did you punch in and out? If so, you have to be paid for that time. You can vonenteer for extra hours, but you still need to be paid for that time. If he had hired teenagers, he would have paid them, so he has to pay you.
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If you haven't filled out any federal or state employment forms and work voluntarily then he doesn't owe you anything, and anything he does give you is charity. Employment requires documentation, which you don't have. You are free to donate your time and energy if you want to, and he is free to accept it if it doesn't affect payroll accounting. Your decision to prove your worth as an employee has either succeeded, in which case you will be offered employment that pays at least a minimum wage, or failed, in which case you worked for nothing and the manager is not required to either pay you or hire you.
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