ETHICS Is It Fair to Dock Employees' pay for Bathroom Breaks? TODAY For s, a t-ne of Out they are not These punch in" when they arrive arud "punch out" when they ave the day, but they also must out When they take That bathroom breaks, Cottee and breaks. What the Law The Fair Labor Standards does not require that otter its bs_ off them, though. mst during breaks. Otherwise. the enWoyer may effectively be in violation o' federal mini- mum wage laws. The for when the U.S. Department ot Labor (000 filed a against American Future (doing business as Business publications). The DOL ted a compensation system in which none of its six thousand Were breaks' DOL that a" workday m". ute-s Systems did not pensate its employees tot such breaks. those employees not credited i compensable til ne. The result that had paid by the Labor StandMdS Act u _ S. district L _ Rmtmpo agreed. finding American futute Systems liable tot unpaid under the FLSA. plus damages, The win have to pay past and S2 to DOL Irrespective of the i"9ality ot for personal *eaks, ethical i to face the of taking a break or get. paid? Welsh, senior trial attorney for the Department ot Labor, argued that the answer vas no. think its the rare employer emphyee-s to to the Welsh said _ Critical a e smokers nonsmokers. rhe paid not. an ethical issue here? Discuss.