Except they are. They are standing next to their company branded bike, in uniform waiting for an order. They are not on their way to work from home or vise-versa. For all intents and purposes they are on the clock, except the computer says no.
Service industry jobs often make you clock out and have rules against leaving the premises when off the clock. This is seen as normal and workers always comply.
> and have rules against leaving the premises when off the clock
It might be illegal across the USA, but I do know at least that in Oregon, this is illegal. I know someone that got several hours of backpay for unpaid lunch breaks because someone reported the business for not allowing them to leave during unpaid lunch breaks.
Requiring people to stay on premises during lunch wasn't illegal, but if the requirement was there, they have to be paid during the lunch break. If you are clocking out, then you MUST be allowed to leave.
The problem is that the law isn't proactively enforced and reporting puts you at risk of retaliation, something few people in that situation can afford.
When I was younger one manager was notorious for clocking us out while we were still cleaning at the end of the night. It went on because reporting it risked having your shifts cut or being quietly let go.
It's the same in the rental market. Where I am, viewing and application fees have been illegal for years but estate agents will still try to charge them. If you bring it up or refuse to pay they'll just find someone else who will.
I'm not sure this is 'seen as normal' (by whom?) but I very much doubt it is legal under minimum wage legislation.
Besides which, this is not the equivalent of making a bartender clock out during his break. It's the equivalent of making him clock out while he stands at the bar waiting for the next customer.
The attitude is that over $50 billion a year is stolen as wage theft and nobody does anything about it so businesses feel emboldened to be worse, as well as a general culture of "only doers matter"
