The Fair Labor Standards Act, which is referred to as FLSA, establishes standards for employing youth, recordkeeping, minimum wage, and overtime pay for employees in Federal, State, and Local governments as well as those working in the private sector.
As of July 24, 2009, covered workers who are non-exempt are entitled to a minimum wage of $7.25 per hour and after 40 hours have been worked in a workweek, you are entitled to overtime pay at 1.5 times your regular pay rate.
Those who are subjected to wage theft can benefit from the FLSA because it protects them.
Wage theft could involve not being paid minimum wage, being shorted for hours work, or not being paid overtime that they are entitled to receive.
If your employer has violated the FLSA, you can file a claim against them to recover your lost wages and to be compensated for your damages.
Who Is Covered Under The FSLA?
The FSLA doesn’t apply to all businesses and employers, but it does apply to a significant number of them.
The FSLA applies to employers who have annual sales that total $500,000 or more, or businesses that are engaged in interstate commerce.
Those two requirements then make the FSLA apply to most companies located throughout the U.S.
If you were not paid for the time that you worked, you can pursue a complaint with your state labor board. They can help you pursue a claim against your employer and recover the compensation for your damages.
You should act promptly and always pay attention to your paystubs.
Unfortunately, many times wage theft goes unnoticed for extended time periods because the workers fail to notice that they are not being properly paid.
Reports indicate that about $50 billion of wage theft takes place every year, so as a worker it is your responsibility to pay close attention to your paycheck and to make sure you are being fairly compensated.
Benefits of Working with an Employment Law Attorney
If you believe that you have been subjected to wage theft from your employer, you need to speak with an employment law attorney.
Employment laws do vary from one state to another, so you should talk with a lawyer who can advise you on your specific case and how to proceed with your claim.
You will want an employment law attorney who is licensed to handle such claims in your state, so he or she is familiar with the state laws as well as the federal laws.
Your lawyer will explain the process for pursuing a claim against your employer. Some employment law attorneys take cases on a contingency basis, but that varies from attorney to attorney.
Complete the Free Case Evaluation Form on this page to share the details regarding your claim with an attorney who handles wage theft and FSLA violations in your area.
Time to pursue a claim is limited, and you do have resources available. File a claim to recover the compensation that you are entitled to receive and that you have earned and not received.
