Chattanooga Wage Theft Attorneys
Many employers fail to properly follow state and federal laws that are in place to protect employees from abusive practices such as wage theft. An attorney could represent employees who were denied rightful compensation for their work. Wage theft occurs when an employer retains wages that a person should legally receive.
If you believe an employer did not compensate you appropriately, a Chattanooga wage theft lawyer may be able to help. An experienced employment attorney at Employment and Commerce Law Group understands how much a person gets paid directly impacts all aspects of their life and an attorney may be able to get them the pay they deserve.
How Does the Fair Labor Standards Act Apply to Workers?
The Fair Labor Standards Act, also known as the FLSA, is a federal law that sets minimum wage and overtime compensation requirements. When states do not have their own laws addressing these employment issues, the provisions of the FLSA apply. The guidelines set forth by the FLSA apply to most Chattanooga employees in both the private and public sectors. Wage theft violations often occur because employers do not pay their employees the minimum wage or overtime the FLSA requires.
Differences Between Exempt vs. Nonexempt Employees
Exempt employees fall outside the scope of the FLSA. However, nonexempt employees should receive all the benefits and protections under this law. Examples of exempt workers may include independent contractors or salaried employees. A worker’s classification as either an exempt or nonexempt employee is an important factor in a wage theft case.
Nonexempt employees should receive the current minimum hourly pay. The minimum wage in Chattanooga is currently $7.25 per hour. If a nonexempt employee is receiving less than $7.25 per hour, it could be a wage theft case. Employees can contact a Chattanooga wage theft attorney who can help them pursue their wage rights.
Overtime Requirements in Chattanooga
Chattanooga wage theft lawyers know that overtime compensation is not optional for employers. If someone worked overtime hours, they must receive overtime pay. Failure to pay employees overtime is a frequent occurrence of wage theft. Under the FLSA, if an employee works over forty hours in one work week, they should receive overtime compensation. Overtime compensation is equal to 1.5 times the employee’s normal pay rate.
Many wage theft matters involve instances of:
- Failing to pay overtime
- Failing to compensate for time worked during breaks
- Falsifying time cards
- Employee misclassification
- Failure to compensate for off the clockwork
What is Employer Retaliation?
When an employer punishes or fires an employee for filing a legitimate claim, it is retaliation. The law prohibits employer retaliation. Although employees in Chattanooga are at will and an employer can typically fire them for any lawful reason, an employer may not terminate employment because someone initiated a wage theft claim.
Working with a Chattanooga Wage Theft Attorney
Every employee deserves to earn their proper wages. If an employer fails to properly compensate an employee, they may be threatening that employee’s livelihood. Working with a Chattanooga wage theft lawyer could help you confront your employer and initiate a wage theft case. A lawyer may have experience with a variety of employment issues and could work to get you back wages and damages. Committing wage theft is a serious violated of the FLSA. An attorney could use the FLSA to our advantage when helping an employee.
