FREQUENT WAGE & HOUR ISSUES
Numerous Ohio employers are guilty of wage and hour violations all across the state. These violations are not limited to only one industry or occupation either. In fact, some occupations and industries show up more often with complaints of unpaid wages, overtime, and hour issues. Some industries are bound by special laws, making calculating wages and overtime more challenging compared to other sectors. Some workers in select industries find they are often made to work off the clock or routinely receive improper withholdings from their pay.
If you are the victim of any wage and hour violation in Ohio, you need to speak with the Cincinnati wage and hour claim attorneys at Coffman Legal today. Here’s a look at some of the most common violations we see in certain industries.
Nurses and other employees in the health care industry are some of the most common employees affected by wage and hour violations. Some reasons are because many nurses travel between job sites, work beyond their shift, have different jobs within the same medical facility, are required to attend training, and more. There is also the eight and eighty rule, which is where hospitals and residential care facilities use a 14-day period instead of a 40-hour workweek. In this scenario, overtime is only paid over eight hours in a day or over 80 hours during that 14-day period. There must be an agreement or understanding with the workers under this arrangement.
Another frequent source of violations come from the restaurant and hotel industries. Some of these violations include:
Delivery drivers, including pizza delivery drivers, are not often paid correctly. If a pizza employee also makes pizzas, they should be paid full minimum wage for those duties and only have a tipped wage for the delivery. With delivery drivers, they may receive a day rate, but things like weather, traffic, road construction, and accidents can impact their schedule. That means they often are working longer than making minimum wage. There is also a lot of misclassification with independent contractors when they should be employees receiving overtime.
Janitors, housekeepers, and maids are also frequent victims of minimum wage violations, including misclassification as independent contractors.
Many employers require their dancers to share tips with non-tipped employees, working solely on tips, unlawful deductions, being forced to pay for their place on stage, and more.
The FLSA has some exemptions for overtime and minimum wage requirements, including some computer-related occupations and outside sales employees. There are specific rules employers must follow to not be in violation, which many employers don’t adhere to.
If you believe you’re the victim of wage, overtime, or some other hour violation, you need to contact a Cincinnati wage and hour attorney right away. Contact Coffman Legal today to schedule a consultation and learn how we can help.