WAGE & HOUR ISSUES
Paying employees their proper wages is one of the biggest concerns for employers. While there are laws in place to ensure all workers are paid fair wages, sometimes employers prioritize their own bottom line over the rights of employees. When they do, employees can fight for their rights and ensure their employer complies with the law. Below are some of the most frequent wage and hour issues our employment lawyers see. If your employer has engaged in any of the following, call our Akron wage and hour attorneys to learn more about how we can help.
Many minimum wage violations also affect overtime pay. For example, if a meal break is deducted from an employee’s wages and the deduction results in only 39 hours worked instead of 42, that could qualify as both a minimum wage violation and an overtime violation. Some of the most common minimum wage and overtime issues in Akron are as follows:
Employees often believe their employer can require them to come in early or stay late and not pay them for that time. For example, a cook in a restaurant may be required to come in early to prepare vegetables or clean their station prior to working on the line. Or, a bank supervisor may require tellers to stay late to complete paperwork. While these requirements are legitimate, they may turn into a dispute when employers refuse to pay employees for that additional time. When workers are not rightfully paid for that time, they can file a claim against their employer to recover their lost wages.
Employee misclassification is one of the most common wage and hour issues in the workplace. The Fair Standards Labor Act and Ohio law provides many protections for employees. However, some workers such as freelancers and independent contractors are not covered under these laws. This is largely due to the fact that these workers are responsible for their own work, tools, and the manner in which they perform their work. Employers will sometimes misclassify an employee as a contractor or freelancer to avoid paying them their proper wages. Employers will also sometimes classify an employee as exempt from state and federal overtime laws. Some workers are exempt, such as executives and people in managerial positions. However, most employees are not exempt and deserve to receive the full overtime they worked.
Sadly, there are many common wage and hour violations employers commit in Ohio. At Coffman Legal, LLC, our Akron employment lawyers have the necessary experience to identify wage and hour issues and can assist with your claim when they arise. Call us today at (614) 949-1181 or fill out our online form to schedule a free evaluation and learn more about your legal options.