Being a plumber is hard work, and you should arrive at each shift with the expectation that your employer will pay you fairly, accurately and in a timely manner for the work you do.
If payday arrives and you have not been paid, then you need to take action.
While there are always situations like human error or natural disasters that can cause problems with paychecks, the reality is that wage theft is also a possibility.
Wage theft is the term used to describe situations where an employee is not paid for their work.
It includes not being issued a final paycheck when leaving a job, not being paid according to the minimum wage guidelines, not being compensated for overtime, not being paid for the total number of hours worked or not being paid at all.
Wage theft is something that happens in white and blue collar workplaces all over the world and it can happen in giant corporations or small businesses.
As a worker, you have a right to be paid on time. If you have not been paid for your work as a plumber, then you need to act immediately to determine why you haven’t been paid because you may have a wage theft claim.
Payday Requirements for Plumber
As a plumber, you will be paid on a regular payday schedule. There are four general payday schedules: Weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly or monthly.
Your employer will choose which payday model works best for the company in conjunction with your state’s payday requirements.
Each state has its own rules for payday. In Illinois, for example, employers must offer at least a semi-monthly or monthly pay schedule, whereas Iowa employers are free to use any of the four options.
Colorado only requires a monthly payday schedule, while California requires at least a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly schedule.
What this means for you as a plumber is that your employer can determine your payday schedule in keeping with your state’s guidelines, and they can opt to use a schedule that pays you more frequently than the minimum guidelines, but they cannot go beyond the guidelines. That means an employer cannot opt to pay you every two months.
If your employer is not abiding by payday regulations in your state, it could be a form of wage theft and you could file a claim
What To Do If You Have Not Been Paid As A Plumber
If payday arrives and you have not been paid, then you need to find out what happened to your paycheck. Your first course of action should be to talk to your supervisor, your boss or to your company’s payroll or human resources department.
You might discover that something as simple as a human error or misplaced timecard could be at fault. In that case, you should receive your paycheck immediately.
If, however, you meet with your employer and no effort is made to correct the problem, then you need to take action.
You have two options: You can file a claim with the Department of Labor, or you can file a private lawsuit.
When you file a complaint against your employer, you would file that claim with the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD).
They are the federal agency responsible for wage theft claims, and you can file your complaint online, by phone or in person at any one of their local branch offices.
If you choose to file a private lawsuit, then you should speak with an experienced employment attorney for a case evaluation.
An employment attorney will ensure that you receive the maximum damages available to you in a settlement should you win your case, including lost wages, legal fees and possibly compensation for emotional distress.
Get A Free Case Evaluation From An Employment Lawyer
Filing a lawsuit against your employer is stressful and intimidating, so it helps to have an expert working with you to make sure that your case is as strong as possible.
Though working with an employment attorney does not guarantee that you will win your case, having an experienced advocate working on your behalf will improve the chances of a successful outcome.
Moreover, there is very little risk involved in hiring an employment attorney. Most employment attorneys will work on a contingency basis, requiring no money from you upfront to take your case.
You only pay if you win your case, and in some cases legal fees are awarded as part of your settlement so you will not pay anything.
To learn more about how an employment lawyer can help you with your claim, complete the free case evaluation.
