When you are hired as a steel worker, you and your employer will agree upon your wage. If you are a steel worker and you notice that your paycheck is less than you expected, you could be a victim of wage theft.
If there are deductions that you do not recognize, it may be worth having your claim reviewed by an employment law attorney.
An attorney will know which deductions an employer can take from your check and will know how to proceed with a wage theft claim to recover compensation for your damages.
What To Look For
When you receive your paycheck as a steel worker, you will receive a paystub which will have an itemized list of everything that was deducted from your earnings.
You should always review your paycheck and make sure your employer did not make any unauthorized or illegal deductions. Here are some things that you should look for when reviewing your paystub:
- Taxes – state and federal taxes, Social Security tax, and Medicare tax are some of the taxes you can expect to see deducted
- Insurance – if your employer offers medical, dental, vision, disability, or life insurance, your share of the premiums can be deducted from your paycheck
- Uniform/tools/equipment – as a steel worker, you may need special clothing, such as steel toe boots, burn resistant clothing, or tools and the costs associated with them can be deducted from your paycheck just so long as the costs do not take your earnings below minimum wage
- Lodging and meals – if you need lodging and meals so you can work, such as because of job site being out of town, you can have those expenses taken from your paycheck
If you find that there are other deductions from your check, which you did not authorize or that you did not recognize, you should promptly address the matter.
Your employer may be intentionally stealing your wages. It could be worth speaking with an employment law attorney, who is familiar with the applicable laws and who will know what deductions can legally be taken from your check.
With the help of a lawyer, you are more likely to recoup your lost wages and any damages that you suffered because of the inappropriate deductions from your paycheck as a steel worker.
What To Do
If you have noticed inappropriate deductions from your paycheck as a steel worker, you should speak with the human resources (HR) department at your place of employment.
You should maintain thorough documentation that supports your claim and that shows you suffered from unauthorized or illegal deductions. Even just a couple of dollars per week inappropriately deducted from your check will add up over time.
You will need to note the response you receive from HR. Did they say they would address the issue did they acknowledge it was a mistake or was not done on purpose.
You will need to have supporting documentation, which will show what happened and how much you are owed because of the inappropriate deductions. Here are some of the documents that you will need for your wage theft claim:
- Your employee handbook
- Your employment contract
- Your timecards or time sheets
- Paystubs
- Work-related memos or messages
You will need to maintain documentation that shows you spoke with your employer’s HR representative, along with detailed documentation of the response you received from your employer regarding your complaint.
You will need all this documentation for an employment law attorney to review. An employment law attorney will know what deductions your employer can make from your check, and they will address any issues that they find with your check.
When you meet with an employment law attorney, be sure to discuss their payment options.
While some employment law attorneys require a retainer to be paid in advance, there are some attorneys who will take such cases on a contingency basis and not get paid until your claim is won and you recover compensation for your damages.
There is a statute of limitations for pursuing a wage theft claim, so if you wait too long you will not be able to recoup compensation for your losses.
If you have noticed unusual deductions from your check, you should speak with a lawyer regarding your claim.
Complete the Free Case Evaluation Form on this page to share the details of your wage theft claim as a steel worker with an employment lawyer who handles wage theft claims in your area.
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