Time Theft in the Los Angeles Retail Sector: The Need for New Labor Standards and a Fair Workweek

We argue that employers subject workers to time theft by controlling workers’ time—both on and off the clock. Time theft considers employer control of workers’ time without the promise of pay through unstable scheduling practices as well as beyond their scheduled work hours. We develop a typology of time theft through a discussion of survey and workshop data with retail workers in Los Angeles. We underscore how federal labor law is inadequate to address unstable scheduling and we discuss retail worker organizing and the implications of time theft for labor policy and worker movements.

The Effect of Transformational Leadership and Organization Justice on Employee Time Theft in the Government Environment of Mandailing Natal Regency

Time theft is a disservice to the organization, both economically and productively. This research aims to examine the effect of transformational leadership and organizational justice on employee time theft in Mandailing Natal Regency. Sample of this research is civil servant (N=377) at 34 government institution in Mandailing Natal Regency. This type of research is correlational research. The method used to measure variables using self-report. Data analysis using multiple linear regression. The result showed that transformational leadership did not have a significant effect on the time theft (β = -0,032 p>0,05), meanwhile organizational justice have a significant effect on time theft (β = -0,209 p<0,05). The negative regression coefficient value showed the direction of the negative relationship between the organizational justice and time theft, means that the higher the organizational justice felt by employees, the lower the chances of that person committing time theft. Vice versa, the lower organizational justice felt by employees, the higher the chance that person will commit time theft behavior. Keywords: Time Theft, Transformational Leadership, Organizational Justice.

Employee Theft among College Students in the Workforce

Employee theft costs organizations billions of dollars annually. Despite the severity of employee theft, previous research has not focused on the specific demographics of employees who commit this crime. The number of college students in the workforce has increased over the years; thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the serious problem of employee theft, particularly in relation to the college student population. A survey was used to collect data from college students to indicate employee theft activities among them. Employee theft activities were categorized as follows: time theft, property theft, embezzlement, pilferage, and data and trade secret theft. Survey responses from 92 students indicated that the majority committed time theft, followed by property theft, pilferage, data and trade secret theft, and embezzlement, respectively. This study adds valuable information for businesses and practitioners to understand the severity of employee theft among the increasing number of college students in the workforce.

Cyberloafing and Constructive Recreation

“Cyberloafing” in workplace and educational contexts refers to the uses of computer-related applications and devices in ways or at times that are not directly sanctioned by employers, managers, or teachers. It has often been considered as a kind of “time theft” on the part of employees, possibly decreasing workplace and educational productivity by consuming attention, energies, and resources designated for organizational operations. In contrast, many employees and students have construed cyberloafing as a stress reliever and as support for personal wellbeing, often with the rationale that they are able to engage effectively in alternating or multitasking between and among their various work and off-work endeavors. “Constructive recreation,” in contrast with cyberloafing, comprises online recreation and gamification initiatives designed by employees along with managers; these initiatives are designed to be in sync with productive efforts and support the wellbeing of all organizational participants. The chapter analyzes research trends and public discourse related to both to cyberloafing and to constructive recreation.