If you have been a victim of a late paycheck as an administrative assistant, you may choose to take steps to recover anything you are owed. Employers are not paying you on time may be breaking state and federal laws in relation to the frequency of paychecks.
Working as an administrative assistant can be a multi-tasking job which requires changing from one task to another with little notice. The administrative assistant expects to get paid on time for his or her work so all the necessary financial commitments can be paid as required.
Late Paycheck Laws
If you have received a late paycheck or no paycheck at all you should check your states rules in relation to the paying of paychecks. You should also check federal late paycheck laws which can be found in the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and may not be quite the same as your state’s rules.
Most state and federal laws say that administrative assistants should be paid on a regular basis and an agreement is usually drawn up between the administrative assistant and his/her employer which establishes the paycheck frequency.
Examples of State Late Paycheck Laws
Late paycheck laws in California state that administrative assistants should be paid at least twice a month. An employer must confirm administrative assistants’ regular paydays before the first payment is made. Also, the employer is expected to post a notice which all administrative workers can see easily which provides the details about pay days including the time and place the paychecks will be paid. Wages that are earned between the 1st and 15th day of each month must be paid between the 16th and 26th day of that same month.
There are no late paycheck laws in Alabama and South Carolina in relation to administrative assistants. Employers in these states who employ more than 5 administrative assistants only need to give written notice to their administrative assistants about paydays.
Steps to Take When Your Paycheck is Late as an Administrative Assistant
If your paycheck has not been received on you should check your state’s labor laws. Most states expect administrative assistants to be paid weekly or at least fortnightly. If your employer appears to have violated the law, you should go ahead and do the following:
- Write to your employer asking for the payment to be made.
- If your employer does not reply to your request or simply does not pay what you are owed, you should file a complaint with your closest state Labor Department office.
- If you are only owed a small amount you can file a claim with the small claims court.
- You should not leave your job as your employer is not allowed to fire you for filing a late paycheck complaint.
If you are owed a large amount of money you may need help from an employment lawyer who can advise you on your legal options.
Find Help
Do not lose hope when your paycheck arrives late, but instead consider contacting an employment lawyer who can help make a decision as to whether your employer has violated late paycheck laws. If your employer has, has the employment lawyer may go out of his or her way to help you file a lawsuit for the unpaid or late wages.
It is important to uphold your rights as an example to other administrative assistants who may be experiencing a problem with late paychecks too. Complete the Free Case Evaluation today.
