Most nights go by without any issues. The only noises you hear are the occasional creaking of stairs and possibly a few mice scurrying behind a floorboard.
Yet, security guards work a job that can turn dangerous at the flash of a semi-automatic pistol. From security guards that work inside banks to professionals that protect valuable landmarks from damage, security guards earn every penny they get from private employers, as well as from state and federal government agencies. Unfortunately, some companies and public sector entities fail to live up to their end of the compensation bargain.
If you work as a security guard and have not received due compensation, you might be able to file a claim in a civil court in front of a judge.
Employers in all sectors must meet the minimum standards set by state and federal agencies when it comes to compensating employees. The days of sticking it to workers has faded into distant memory. Now, employees have reached equal ground on payday issues.
Payday Requirements for a Security Guard
Every successful claim filed in a civil court had its origins in an employee knowing or wanting to know about labor laws.
Although the federal government has set the standard for minimum wage, many states have enacted laws that go well beyond the federally established number.
For example, the United States Department of Labor has established the minimum wage at $7.25 per hour, while Michigan has set the minimum wage at more than two dollars more per hour. Illinois requires employers to pay a minimum wage of $9.25, and Massachusetts has raised the minimum wage bar to $12 an hour.
As a security guard, it is vitally important to know that the minimum wage is for the state where you reside.
Let’s say you work as a security guard in Michigan. You employer claims the company pays security guards one dollar more than the minimum wage.
However, your employer claims the minimum wage is the federally mandated minimum of $7.25. Your employer wants to bump your starting wage as a security guard to $8.25 an hour.
The problem here is Michigan law supersedes federal law, which means your employer should pay you $10.45 per hour, which is one dollar more than the Michigan minimum wage. Employers that fail to follow labor laws are legally liable to pay back wages.
How to Receive Back Pay as a Security Guard
As a security guard, you protect private property from vandals, thieves, and other types of criminals. You also have to protect your wages from an illegal phenomenon called “wage theft.”
The first thing to do is keep meticulously accurate records of the hours you worked for every pay period. If your employer does not print out wage and hour information on a weekly report, you need to keep the records on a computer or in an organized file of documents at home.
Accurate record keeping is the most important piece of evidence that can motivate your employer to pay back wages.
Instead of taking your case immediately to a state licensed employment attorney, try working out the back pay issue with your employer.
There is a chance your employer simply made a mistake or there was a breakdown in the software program used to calculate weekly paychecks.
If your employer balks at paying you for stolen wages, then you should contact the state Department of Labor to file a formal complaint. A growing number of states have taken wage theft seriously by imposing stiff fines and sanctions on employers that violate labor laws.
If you do not receive the compensation you deserve, then the time has arrived to contact an experienced employment lawyer.
Get a Free Case Evaluation Today
Not only does a state licensed employment lawyer have comprehensive knowledge about the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), he or she should also have a thorough understanding of the labor laws passed by your state legislature.
Just as many states have passed employee friendlier minimum wage laws, many states have also enacted tougher labor laws the penalize employers for acts of wage theft.
An attorney who takes your case should work on a contingency fee basis, which means you receive what is called a retainer that you should read and sign. Contingency means your lawyer does not get paid unless you get paid.
Schedule a free initial consultation today with an employment attorney who has established a proven record of helping workers receive compensation for wage theft.
