Exercise your employee rights to protect your overtime wages

There are many laws intact designed to protect your wages. Still some employers deliberately withhold pay and short their employees money and benefits which is a breach of labor laws. If you are doing a job that pays hourly wages then you are generally entitled to one-and-a-half times your regular pay rate, for working any hours over 40 hours in a work week. Even if you are salaried you may be entitled to overtime as well if the salaried exemption is not satisfied.

As a worker, you should also be aware if your meal break is uncompensated; you are supposed to be free from all your job responsibilities. If you are asked to perform work during your mandatory meal breaks, and you are not paid for the work it could be considered wage theft. If you believe that you are not getting paid correctly for your work, read the information given below:

• Your payroll department is responsible to maintain the track of your worked hours. Oftentimes they deliberately do not, or they keep time and short it. Keep all your paystubs and time records and any other record they give you.
• Read your employer handbook to get the clear picture of your rights and responsibilities. If permissible, make a copy of it.
• Always maintain records of your hours worked and other necessary documentation, as you may need them later on.

If you have tried everything you can, to get the overtime wages you deserved, then it’s time for you to contact an overtime law firm that can fight on your behalf.

You have a right to collect overtime pay and with the help of a law firm, you may be paid all the unpaid wages. After an evaluation, they can also assist you in determining if you qualify to file a lawsuit or not. With the help of your attorney, you may be able to claim:

• The overtime wages and other benefits illegally withheld by the employer
• Your attorney fee paid by your employer
• Other damages such as double or even triple in some states.

Many employers feel it is beneficial for them to ignore the overtime laws, especially if the workers are not aware about their rights. Overtime pay laws are not always easy to understand and a professional attorney who fights for overtime rights can help you determining your options. It is strongly recommended that all workers must educate themselves about their employee rights and never become victims of wage theft. If you feel you or someone you know is not aware, have them speak with an overtime lawyer who can offer free guidance on how to proceed.