If you are an employee who has been denied required minimum wage and overtime pay, you can recover the owed wages by reporting the act as a violation. According to the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), employers are supposed to pay at least the federal minimum wage. On top of this, employees who work over 40 hours a week need to be paid “time and a half” overtime salary. If an employer fails to provide the minimum wage, an employee or a third party may register a complaint. Complaints of ‘wage theft’ can result in employees receiving the wages they were unjustly denied.
Since July 2015, the federal minimum wage has been $7.25 per hour. Note that several states have their respective state minimum wage requirements that are higher than the federal minimum. It is an employer’s responsibility to pay the higher of the two minimum wages.
The FLSA also requires that employers pay the right amount of overtime wage to employees who work more than 40 hours in a week. If you are an employee under the FLSA and you have not been receiving minimum or overtime pay, you might consider registering a complaint for a wage violation. The identity of the employee who files a complaint is treated as confidential. Privacy is taken seriously in this matter to avoid possible discrimination against the employee by the employer.
A skilled attorney may be able to help you in understanding your rights regarding federal wage and overtime laws. If you have been denied your rightful wage, a lawyer may guide you in pursuing the wrongfully withheld wages.
