Wages and benefits are perhaps one of the most important things to all employees. This is why it is important for employees to know and understand their rights, especially when it comes to wages. Here are the 3 most common wage violations that occur in the workplace:
1. Wage Theft- No matter if it’s regular pay or overtime, when an employee does not receive earned pay, this is called wage theft. Non-exempt employees that do not receive pay for the hours they have worked can claim wage theft. Even though exempt employees can also fall victim to wage theft, they are less likely to experience missing wages since they are salaried and do not receive overtime pay.
2. Overtime Theft- The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requires that non-exempt employees be paid 1.5 times their regular pay for any hours worked over their 40-hours in a workweek. While there may be occasions in which your overtime pay was simply miscalculated, be sure to keep track of your overtime hours worked in order to ensure you are being paid appropriately.
3. Misclassification of Employment- While there are certain professions that are not considered non-exempt, there are many others that are not. Some employers may incorrectly classify an employee as exempt in order to avoid having to pay them for overtime. Be sure to do your research and understand what classification your position qualifies for, exempt or non-exempt.
The employment attorneys at Maduff & Maduff have been specializing in civil rights, discrimination, and wage and overtime theft for more than 20 years. Contact us for questions or to get started on your claim today.