UNPAID WAGE VIOLATIONS
Payroll is commonly the biggest business expense for any business owner. While most employers will try to reduce these costs in honest and legitimate ways, others unfortunately attempt to violate the law so they can retain more of their profits. Many employees that are the victims of these violations do not even realize they are not receiving their fair wages and so, they never have the opportunity to make it right.
Below are the most common wage violations employers commit. Any time an employee is harmed by them, or any other illegal act, they should speak to our Akron unpaid wage violations attorneys.
The minimum wage in Ohio is updated every year to reflect the rate of inflation. Ohio law outlines a minimum wage for both tipped and non-tipped workers. Employers try to avoid paying minimum wage in a number of ways. Sometimes, they will simply not provide pay stubs to their employees, so workers can only assume they are being paid the correct wages. Other times, employers may make illegal deductions that result in an employee being paid less than minimum wage. Any time workers do not receive the minimum wage for every hour worked, it is a wage violation. Employees should always keep track of their hours worked so they can identify a violation as soon as possible. When they have not received their full wages, they should speak to an unpaid wage violation attorney.
Ohio law and the federal Fair Labor Standards Act require employers to pay appropriate overtime to non-exempt employees. Under both laws, employers must pay one-and-a-half times the employee’s regular wages for every hour worked over 40 hours in one workweek. Some employers simply refuse to pay proper overtime. Others will tell employees they are exempt when they are not. Only a few employees are exempt from overtime laws, including executives and those with high salaries. Any worker that feels they have not been paid appropriate overtime should speak to an employment lawyer that can advise on their case.
Any time an employee performs work for their employer, they deserve to be paid for that work. Employers will sometimes require employees to come in early or stay late, but they will not pay employees for that extra time. Employers may ask workers to do a few odd jobs when their shift is over, or require them to clock in fifteen minutes early without paying them for that time. This is an illegal practice and employees can file a claim against their employer for those lost wages.
Sadly, the above violations are just some of the most common employers commit to withhold a worker’s rightful wages. If you feel as though you have not been rightfully paid for your work, our Akron wage violation attorneys at Coffman Legal, LLC are here to help. Call us today at (614) 949-1181 or contact us online to schedule a free case evaluation with one of our skilled attorneys and to learn more about how we can help.