In Tennessee you can be forced to work off the clock as long as the time worked does not put your wages below minimum wage. For example, if you're working at a job making $15/hour 20 hours a week your employer can force you to work off the clock another 20 hours and the TN Department of Labor will not do anything as long as you make at least minimum wage.
If you refuse to work off the clock you can be terminated as it is a 'right to work' state. There are companies exploiting this and the Tennessee Department of Labor refuses to stand up for workers rights and do something about it. This is not right.
I was recently terminated for insubordination from Papa Johns Dickson while off the clock and not even on the schedule for refusing my bosses requests to work off the clock. Over the 8 months or so I worked there I had worked off the clock roughly 20 hours total. When I stood up for what I believed were my rights I lost my job.