If when you receive your paycheck you find it is less than you would expect to be paid, you might be a victim of wage theft.
Working as a plumber does have physical challenges so you should expect to get the pay agreed between you and your employer before you start your job as a plumber. However, there are unfortunately a few employers around even in the plumbing industry who try to avoid paying the agreed wages.
What to Look For on Your Paycheck
Because there are many legal deductions employers are allowed to make from your gross pay, you need to check your paystub carefully before you are sure you are a victim of wage theft. The value of any item deducted should be itemized so it is easy to identify.
Some of the legal items that may have been deducted from your paycheck could be any of the following:
- Your employer is permitted to make deductions for uniform, tools and equipment as long as the pay remaining does not violate minimum wages laws;
- Taxes and Insurance will be deducted as employers are allowed to do this, but it must be listed so you can see what and how much they are;
- Lodging and meals can be deducted but your employer should have told you this when you started the plumbing job.
Sometimes employers make plumbers pay for things directly related to the job so the value of these is deducted from the gross pay. These could include any of the following:
- equipment and tools used by the plumber;
- equipment that the plumber has damaged or broken.
- items that the plumber lost or stole while at work;
- name tags;
- purchase and cleaning of the allocated plumber’s uniform necessary for the job.
No plumber can be forced into paying for these things if their wages fall below the federal or state minimum wage and overtime rates as a result.
If you are sure you have not been getting the right net pay after deductions that you are able to identify you should not ignore this. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) is the agency which enforces the country’s federal labor laws including the minimum wage and overtime pay.
What to Do if You Are a Victim of Wage Theft
If you are sure your paycheck as a plumber is less than usual don’t ignore it as you are likely to be a victim of wage theft. The first thing you should do is contact your company’s HR as the missing money may have been a mistake and was not intention. If the HR does not respond or refuses to admit a mistake has been made, then you may consider contacting an employment lawyer. An attorney may be able to help you find the best solution for this problem.
Speak with an attorney who is an expert in cases like this. A lawyer may help you file a claim and navigate the claims process. Complete the Free Case Evaluation on this page today!
