Minimum Wage Violations and Failure to Pay Overtime
Did you know that you have the right to file a lawsuit if your employer paid you less than the state or federal minimum wage? Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), all workers in the United States must be paid a wage of at least $7.25 per hour, although your state may have a higher minimum wage in place. If your employer has neglected to pay you the federal or state minimum wage, the minimum wage attorneys at Lore Law Firm can help you file a claim for your unpaid wages.
Unfortunately, the laws intended to protect employees from unfair wage payment practices do not enforce themselves. That is why the Lore Law Firm has fought to defend the workers’ rights both in and out of the courtroom for over 25 years. Over that time, we have successfully held numerous employers responsible for wage theft and recovered millions of dollars for thousands of workers nationwide.
Common Schemes Employers Use to Avoid Paying Workers the Minimum Wage
Unfortunately, some employers will take advantage of their workers by dodging paying them their legal wages. Some tactics employers will use to bring worker wages below the legal minimum include:
- Forcing staff to reimburse cash drawer shortages with their own money
- Making wait-staff pay for the tabs of dine and dashers
- Deducting pay for tools or equipment related to the job
- Requiring employees to purchase or pay to launder their uniforms with their paychecks
- Demanding that workers pay for damage done to company property
- Paying a salary that is so low that the actual hourly rate is below the minimum wage
Suppose your employer failed to compensate you with a minimum of $7.25 per hour or the minimum hourly wage for your state. In that case, you could be entitled to compensation for unpaid wages and liquidated damages. In many cases, your employer can also be held financially liable for your attorney’s fees.
Do Tipped Employees Have to be Paid the Federal Minimum Wage?
Although the FLSA permits tipped employees such as wait staff to receive an hourly wage of just $2.13, even tipped employees must end up with at least $7.25 of pay each hour. If a worker who relies heavily on gratuities does not receive enough tips to get them to the minimum hourly wage, the employer is legally obligated to make up the difference.
Employers cannot lawfully take tips that do not belong to them as tips belong solely to the worker who received the tip. The only exception to this is when an employer requires participation in an authorized tip pool. However, employers are not allowed to dip into the tip pool.
Did Your Employer Pay You Less than the Federal or State Minimum Hourly Wage?
Wage violation attorney Michael Lore has helped victims of minimum wage violations hold their employers responsible for wage theft for over 25 years. Michael has been recognized and awarded with an “AV” rating by Martindale–Hubbell, which represents the highest rating for legal ability and ethical standards.
At Lore Law Firm, we believe it is vital that employees are paid fairly for the hard work they provide their employers, which is why we work tirelessly to help hard-working Americans collect the wages they have rightfully earned. We support and empower workers to confront employers who violate labor laws and make them pay for past minimum wage violations. Call our firm today at (713) 782-5291 or complete our form to learn more about how workers’ rights minimum wage lawyer Michael Lore can fight to recover your missing wages.
