| I've just observed this, not experienced it, so I'm not sure. It's far easier to see the problem than figure out a solution! Much will depend on your job prospects and financial position. If you're a fancy programmer type who's constantly bugged by recruiters, move on until you find an ethical company. If you need this job to eat, you'll have to be a lot more careful. In general, I'd say: 1. Point out the impossibility of the requirements to management. Gently if need be. It's possible they don't realize what they're doing. 2. Contact the local department of labor or whatever regulatory agency would be interested in what's going on. They may be able to take action if management is pushing violations in a quiet way like this. If not, they may be able to at least take action against the workplace if people have started breaking the rules. 3. If you can afford to risk the consequences, follow the rules as much as you can. Don't work off the clock, don't break safety rules, etc. If being fired will make you homeless then maybe this isn't an option. 4. Document everything. If regulators weren't interested originally, they may be interested once you can show a pattern. Upper management may be blissfully ignorant, and you may be able to get them involved once you can show them what's going on. Whatever happens, if things come to a head then it will probably be useful to be able to demonstrate that this wasn't your own doing. |