Definition
Show-up pay, also called reporting time pay, is minimum pay some states require when an employee reports for a scheduled shift and is sent home early or given less work than scheduled. Federal law does not require it, but states including California, New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts have their own versions, and some city fair workweek laws add similar protections. The amount and exceptions vary. For staffing orders, cancelling well ahead of the shift is the simplest way to avoid it.
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This definition is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules vary by state and change over time.