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How Texas Cracks Down on Employers Who Refuse to Pay WagesKey Takeaways: Texas law treats willful wage nonpayment as a serious offense. Bad-faith withholding triggers state penalties, while federal Fair Labor Standards Act claims may allow liquidated damages that double the unpaid amount. Willful failure...

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Colorado's 2026 Wage Claim Expansion Opens New Doors for 1099 Overtime Recovery Key Takeaways: Colorado has strengthened its wage enforcement tools for 2026, giving workers labeled as independent contractors clearer paths to recover unpaid pay. Misclassified 1099 workers may be owed back wages, and federal...

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Day Rate Pay and Your Right to Overtime in TexasKey Takeaways: Texas pipeline inspectors paid a flat day rate can still be owed overtime under federal law, which protects non-exempt employees regardless of payment method. A generous day rate does not "cover" long hours, and...

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Do 1099 Employees Get Overtime Under The New 2026 Federal Contractor Rule?Key Takeaways: A new federal proposal announced in early 2026 could reshape how Texas workers are classified and whether they qualify for overtime. Many people labeled as "independent contractors" are actually employees under wage...

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The Truth About Salaries and Overtime in TexasKey Takeaways: A salary alone does not deny you overtime pay in Texas, because eligibility depends on your actual job duties and true rate of pay rather than the "salary" label. Overtime rules come from the federal Fair...

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Pre-Shift and Post-Shift Time: Why Documentation Wins Wage CasesKey Takeaways: To document unpaid pre-shift and post-shift work in New York, it is best to create contemporaneous records the moment work happens, such as time-stamped photos, a personal daily log of actual start and stop times,...

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What Colorado's New Wage Claim Limit Could Mean for 1099 Overtime CasesKey Takeaways: Colorado will raise the state wage-claim limit from $7,500 to $13,000 for claims filed from July 1, 2026, through December 31, 2027. This matters for workers labeled as independent contractors but who...

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Why Day Rate Pay Often Hides Unpaid OvertimeKey Takeaways: Day rate workers paid a flat sum per day are still owed overtime for hours over 40 in a workweek, because the FLSA bases overtime on a regular hourly rate derived from total earnings. Calculate it...

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Understanding Your Rights When a Final Paycheck Is Late in Texas Key Takeaways: If your final paycheck is late in Texas, your employer owes the full unpaid amount, and if they acted in bad faith, the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) can add an administrative penalty...

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When Your Overtime Check Comes Up ShortKey Takeaways: Calculating back pay for excluded overtime wages requires finding your correct "regular rate" of pay, which must include nondiscretionary bonuses, commissions, shift differentials, and piece-rate earnings. Work the calculation one workweek at a time by totaling all...

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