Why You Need a Lawyer to Fight For Your Unpaid Wages?

Every employee deserves to be paid for all the hard work he or she has done. Yet, many times employers deliberately withheld their employees’ wages or do not pay them for overtime and breach labor laws so they can profit off the backs of the hard work of the employees.

To ensure that you never fall victim to such a situation, you must be aware of your rights. Below mentioned are a few things that every employee must know

• Your employer cannot force you to work during meal breaks.

• Unless there is an exemption, you must be paid overtime for every hour worked beyond the limit of 40 hours a week.

• You must not be paid less than the set minimum wage which is generally $7.25 for non-tipped employees and $2.13 for tipped employees.

• Your employer cannot ask you to work before and/or after your shift without paying you for all the time worked.

• Although it’s the employers’ burden to maintain accurate time records, You should maintain a record of all the worked hours. If your record and your employer’s working hours do not match, you must know that something is not right. Then, if you go ahead and file a lawsuit, this work dairy will be considered very important.

• You should read the organization’s handbook carefully to get complete idea about the employees’ rights and responsibilities. Policies and procedures mentioned in the handbook will help you understand the terms and conditions of the organization as well. If permissible you should maintain a copy of all relevant policies and procedures.

• You should keep copies of all pay stubs and other necessary documentation. It will help you file a solid case against your employer, if your rights are ever violated.

In case you have ever been denied for overtime, you should at least consult an unpaid overtime lawyer to understand your position. They are the right persons to talk about this concern. They may know all the rights of an employee and can help you in the best possible way receive compensation for the hard work you put in.

Generally during a free consultation with an employment lawyer they will discuss the facts, and see what damages you are entitled to if any. Generally, the overtime lawyer will take the case on contingency and is only paid if they win your case.