Some Missouri workers struggle to make it financially and cover all of their bills simply holding down one job. But working two or more jobs leaves very little free time to spend with family or on leisure activities.
One way that workers are able to manage on a single job is by taking advantage of overtime pay and working extra or extended shifts. According to the Fair Labor Standards Act, the federal law governing American wages, most workers who work over 40 hours a week must be paid one-and-a-half times their regular pay rate for each hour a week over 40 hours. Workers in certain industries and with some job responsibilities are not protected by the FLSA regarding their wages.
Some employers engage in shady business practices to avoid paying employees their rightfully earned overtime pay. They may misclassify employees by promoting them in name only to the management team or consider them to be independent contractors when they should be classified as company employees.
Employers can cheat their workers out of overtime pay in other ways as well, including:
— Refusing to pay them for work they are required to do off the clock
— Making them work during rest and lunch breaks
— Insist that workers arrive early or stay late to begin or complete their duties
— Scheduling them with more tasks than it is possible to complete during a 40-hour work week
If you know or suspect that your employer is engaging in these wage violations, and your Human Resources representative or supervisor tells you that you’re not entitled to receive overtime pay, you may need the services of one of our attorneys. Schedule a consultation to determine if your rights have been violated and you have a case to pursue.
