Reuters (06/06/12) Stephanie Rabiner

Many employers contend with employees who work longer than their scheduled work hours even when they were not asked to, and experts say employers are responsible for paying unauthorized overtime if they are aware that employees worked off-the-clock. However, employers also have the ability to discipline these employees, given that no federal or state law prevents the creation and enforcement of overtime policies. These policies should state when overtime is allowed, that it must be approved, and the disciplinary measures for violations, such as write-ups, suspension, or termination.