MINIMUM WAGE VIOLATION
Employees throughout Cleveland, the state of Ohio, and nationwide have a legal right to be paid a minimum wage — receiving a minimum wage is one of the most basic worker rights there is. Unfortunately, workers are often denied the minimum wage they are entitled to as a result of being paid under the table, as being misclassified as exempt employees or contractors, or because of misunderstandings regarding minimum wage for tipped employees laws. At the law office of Coffman Legal, LLC, our Cleveland minimum wage violation attorneys can advocate for you if you have been denied wages to which you are entitled. Do not hesitate to call our law firm at your convenience for the support you need.
The minimum wage sets the minimum rate at which an employee must be compensated, per hour, for their work. The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. However, for employers in Cleveland, it is the state minimum wage, not the federal minimum wage, that they must adhere to. The minimum wage in Ohio is $8.80 per hour. For tipped workers, the minimum wage is $4.40 per hour if the tipped worker makes enough in tips to make at least $8.80 per hour; if not, then the employer is responsible for making up the difference.
A worker may be denied the minimum wage for a variety of reasons, including: They are being paid in cash and the employer feels it is okay to short them as such; They have been misclassified as a contractor or as an exempt employee; The employer does not understand that Ohio’s minimum wage is greater than the federal minimum wage; They don’t understand the laws for tipped employees; or They are intentionally shorting the employee because they don’t believe there will be any consequences of doing so.
For workers who have been denied a minimum wage, legal remedies are available. By filing a claim with the Ohio Bureau of Wage and Hour Administration, you can seek compensation for wages that you were denied (back pay), compensation for any legal fees and expenses that you incur, and punitive damages in some cases, too. If you have experienced other economic or noneconomic losses as a result of your employer’s labor law violation, damages may be available to compensate you for these losses, too.
Navigating the legal system and standing up to an employer can be incredibly intimidating and something that feels overwhelming. At the law office of Coffman Legal, LLC, we want to assure you that our Cleveland minimum wage violation attorneys can help you. We offer free, confidential consultations to our clients, always work on a contingency fee basis, and handle all elements of your case. To start collecting the wages that you deserve, please call our Cleveland minimum wage violation attorneys directly today, or send us a message telling us more about your case online.