Coaches PTO and hourly pay in Non-Profit Gyms

[bailsandblinds]

Hey there-
Looking for advice. I work for a 501(c) non-profit gym.
My employer takes PTO from us if we do not work a full 40 hours, but I am not salaried. I am payed hourly and the organization knew and agreed I could work 30 hours a week some weeks do to other commitments. Is it legal for them to take PTO from our banks if we are hourly employees? This does not seem right.
I am hourly, but I bargained for getting PTO because they offer no other benefits. I am their head coach but also a student. They knew this commitment before hiring me. It doesn't conflict with our practice schedule, but it does conflict with some office hours, hence me not being in the gym a full 40 hours a week in the middle of my semesters.

How does this work for your hourly coaches? Does anyone have any similar experience, or legal documents that support it being right or wrong? Any help is useful!

 

[coachmolly]

I worked for a non-profit (not a gym club) and they could basically do whatever they wanted to do. I actually opted to stick with 30 hours/week there when offered full time because I was flat out told that the increase in hours came with no benefits, so I opted to stick with 30 hours there plus coaching as it the end result was the same. They really didn't have any accountability to anyone outside of the Board, and in this situation the director basically told the board what was going to happen and they just smiled and nodded. I'm not at that organization anymore.
It stinks, and it's really not fair for a person who commits so much to the organization, but I'm not sure there is much of anything you can do about it. Though I do know we have some posters on here with legal experience who might be able to offer greater insight.

 

[Redford]

I work on an hourly basis in a non-profit club, but we probably have a different legal foundatition here.
For the clueless: What's PTO? Do you have any kind of contract?

 

[bailsandblinds]

I work on an hourly basis in a non-profit club, but we probably have a different legal foundatition here.
For the clueless: What's PTO? Do you have any kind of contract?

Paid time off. No contract at all. No definition of full time- 32 or 40 hours.

 

[Deleted member 14190]

Hey there-
Looking for advice. I work for a 501(c) non-profit gym.
My employer takes PTO from us if we do not work a full 40 hours, but I am not salaried. I am payed hourly and the organization knew and agreed I could work 30 hours a week some weeks do to other commitments. Is it legal for them to take PTO from our banks if we are hourly employees? This does not seem right.
I am hourly, but I bargained for getting PTO because they offer no other benefits. I am their head coach but also a student. They knew this commitment before hiring me. It doesn't conflict with our practice schedule, but it does conflict with some office hours, hence me not being in the gym a full 40 hours a week in the middle of my semesters.

How does this work for your hourly coaches? Does anyone have any similar experience, or legal documents that support it being right or wrong? Any help is useful!

They don't have to give you paid vacation, but do have to give you sick time. That is my understanding

 

[wandrewsjr]

They don't have to give you paid vacation, but do have to give you sick time. That is my understanding

I think that is a state law in California, so would depend in which state the OP lives. It's my understanding that PTO - either vacation or sick days - are not required by federal law for any employees, no matter how many hours worked. I think your only recourse might be if it were spelled out in a contract you signed.

 

[gymcat]

Are they taking all of your PTO earned for the month or a just a portion? It seems fair that they should remove 25% of your PTO if you are working 25% less than full-time (working 30 hours, when 40 is FT). It does not seem right if they are taking it all. I haven't worked PT in a long time, but back when I did, PTO was earned based on the # of hours worked. For example, if the goal was to earn 2 full weeks of PTO over the course of a year (80 hours) and you assume the normal work year is 2000 hours, you would earn .04 hours of PTO for every hour worked. That way, if you worked the full year (2000 hours) , you would ultimately earn the full two weeks. Any less work would earn you proportionately less PTO.