Is it legal to force an employee to wait to clock in when they are ready to work.My employer states we can only take time off in one hour in...

Question

Is it legal to force an employee to wait to clock in when they are ready to work.

My employer states we can only take time off in one hour increments .

For instance, if I come in 15 minutes late I have to wait an additional 45 min now forcing me to use an hour vacation or take it unpaid.

Answer

Yes. Your employer is entitled to determine when you work and when you don't, and they are only obligated to pay you for when you are working. The fact that you are present but not working does not entitle you to pay if you are not in compliance with your employer's policies about when you work and when you don't.