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What is wage theft?

On Behalf of | Nov 7, 2017 | Blog |

If you are a worker who receives minimum wage, every penny of your paycheck counts. Some workers are victims of wage theft. This occurs when your employer somehow pays you less than what the company actually owes you. This type of theft can happen when your employer steals your tips, does not pay you for the overtime you have worked or forces you to work off the clock. 

These are just a few examples of the ways that your employer may not pay you all the wages you are owed. It is important for you to be aware of wage theft so that you can protect yourself and understand your rights under the law. 

Know the Fair Labor Standards Act 

The Fair Labor Standards Act, commonly known as FLSA, is a law that requires employers to pay their workers at least a minimum wage. The federal government establishes the amount for minimum wage, but it can be higher from state to state. This act also requires employers to pay overtime pay when workers exceed 40 hours in a week. Employees may be able to sue their employers for lost wages if the employers do not abide by the requirements of the FLSA.

However, this process can be complex because some employees are exempt from the standards of the FLSA. In order to determine whether your employer has violated the requirements of the FLSA, it can be helpful to contact a qualified employment law attorney.

False exemption

Sometimes, employers that withhold wages from their employees do so in a subtle way, by classifying them as exempt workers when they are not actually exempt. What this means is the employer makes the employee a salaried worker, but according to the FLSA that employee should actually be getting paid hourly. By classifying the employee as salaried, the employer is able to avoid paying certain wage requirements such as minimum wage and overtime. 

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