subject: Should You Contact A Boca Raton Overtime Lawyer? [print this page] If your job title is Administrative Professional while your actual duties involve manual labor without autonomy over the tasks you perform, your employer may be trying to avoid paying you overtime when you work more than 40 hours in a week. Calling you an "executive" or declaring you to be "salaried" does not magically allow your employer to deny you time and a half when you put in more than 40 hours in a week. A Boca Raton overtime lawyer can help you determine if your employer is improperly classifying your work in an attempt to avoid paying overtime.
Have You Been Told You're a Contract Worker?
While contract workers do exist, some employees try to classify what are essentially hourly workers as contract workers to avoid paying overtime, and this is illegal. The Fair Labor Standards Act spells out what employers are and are not allowed to do with regards to paying overtime. If you are considered a contract worker, yet you have the same job duties as regular hourly employees, then your employer may be denying you overtime you have earned. You could be awarded back overtime pay and prevent your employer from cheating other workers out of wages they have earned..
Were You Told You Should Have Finished Your Work in 40 Hours?
Another tactic used by some employees to avoid paying overtime is claiming that workers should have finished their work in 40 hours, and therefore, no overtime is owed. They are not allowed to do this, however, except in very specific cases. Contact a Boca Raton overtime attorney and explain your situation. Many area employment attorneys offer free consultations so that you can describe what is going on at your workplace. He or she will let you know if you have a case against your employer and can help you get it resolved.
Has Your Employer Asked You to Work Off the Clock?
Employers can get into big legal trouble for asking workers to work while they're not on the clock. During the recent recession, many employers tried to squeeze as much work out of employees as possible, and may have intimidated employees into complying. In 2011, over 7,000 wage and hour lawsuits were filed, and many of these were class action suits. The U.S. Department of Labor was able to recover $225 million in back wages for workers in 2011 alone. You do have recourse if you've been asked to work off the clock.
Denial of Earned Overtime is Illegal
You may think it's "no big deal" if your employer neglects to pay you overtime when you work more than 40 hours in a week. Perhaps your employer makes you feel lucky that you have a job at all in a tight economy. But the fact is, denying employees earned overtime is like stealing money from their wallets, and it is just as illegal. Speak with a Boca Raton overtime attorney if you believe your employer has acted illegally. By standing up for your rights, you're not just helping yourself, but other workers as well.
