Despite the federal and state laws in place to protect how employees are paid for their work, employers still find ways to commit wage and hour violations. If you have experienced this, you have the right to get compensation for wage theft.
You can get justice by turning to Oliver Law Office in Columbus, OH. Contact us to speak with an attorney for wage and hour violations.
The FLSA is a federal labor law protecting workers against unfair pay practices.
Employers have to pay wages on the regular payday for the pay period. Deducting a worker’s wages to pay for required uniforms, merchandise shortages, or tools is not legal if they reduce the wages below the FLSA minimum rate.
The FLSA also regulates when overtime applies and how much employers must pay. Nonexempt employees must be paid overtime if they work more than 40 hours during a seven-day work week. Tipped workers are also eligible to receive overtime pay.
If you suspect you should be earning overtime, you need to turn to a wage law violation attorney for help. With representation, you could get compensation in the form of back pay and more.
Under Ohio Wage Payment Timing Law, employers must pay wages semi-monthly unless a longer payroll period is customary in a particular field. Last paychecks must be provided within 30 days of the regularly scheduled payday.
Employers commit wage theft in various ways — all of which are illegal. Some of the steps employers can take to prevent workers from earning overtime and even minimum wage rates include:
If any of these actions have affected you, you must turn to a Columbus, Ohio, attorney with experience in wage law. You could have the right to compensation.
One of the first areas a wage dispute lawyer can help with is understanding whether your claim is worth pursuing. Together, you can then find the best path forward.
For some people, the right choice can be to file a claim with the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Wage and Hour Administration. They’ll investigate your claim and make a decision. When doing this, it can make a difference to have an employee rights lawyer helping you. They will know how to tackle the filing of this claim.
Although a claim with the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Wage and Hour Administration agency can sometimes be quicker, it could limit your compensation. It would prevent you from taking the claim to court. That’s why, in several instances, a lawsuit can be a better option.
If you choose this route, you need to have a workers’ compensation attorney helping you. Our team at Oliver Law Office can help you gather the necessary evidence to prove you have unpaid overtime or regular wages.
If you file a lawsuit with the help of an unpaid wages lawyer, you can claim several damages, including back pay. Back pay is the money you should have been paid, including your unpaid minimum and overtime wages.
Liquidated damages are another possibility. Although they’re not mandatory, they’re often granted after these violations. Liquidated damages are additional compensation that equals the back pay you receive. You also receive damages for your legal fees, no matter how much your back pay is.
In some instances, punitive damages are available, too. For the court to award you this compensation, you must prove that the wage and hour violations were intentional. Alternatively, you can show that your employer retaliated when you sought your missing wages. Punitive damages are not compensatory but are meant to punish the employer.
If an employer violates your rights by paying you less than what you earned, you must contact a Columbus employment lawyer for help. Although it can seem simple to file a claim independently, it’s not. Attempting to do it alone could cost you the compensation you deserve.
When you turn to us at Oliver Law Office in Columbus, OH, you get a women-led firm of professionals ready to fight for you. We have decades of experience providing help to people dealing with employment disputes, and we can put this experience to work for you, too.
Because we understand that it’s not always easy to travel to our offices in Columbus, we offer virtual consultations and make house calls. We believe that everyone who needs help should be able to receive it, no matter the logistics.
