When an employer fails to pay their employee the total amount they earned, this is called wage theft. Unfortunately, wage theft is a prevalent problem in the United States and can financially harm an employee. Many employers commit wage theft for a long time before being caught. Employees who realize they are not getting paid the amount they legally deserve should talk to a lawyer to explore their legal options and recover their entitled payment.
Wage theft can manifest itself in different ways, so it is important that employees know what to look for. Many employers get away with wage theft or are not caught for a long period of time. Examples of wage theft include:
- Not paying for all of the hours an employee worked
- Not paying for overtime
- Not paying minimum wage
- Employee misclassification
- Forcing an employee to work off the clock
- Not paying an employee at all
Sometimes, wage theft is accidental. Therefore, employers should ensure that they are following the law and paying their employees fairly. To do this, they should make sure that they are not misclassifying employees as independent contractors or making them exempt from receiving overtime. They should ensure all wages are classified correctly, in the right amount, and paid on time. This includes paying for allowed breaks and time worked.
How can I Take Legal Action?
Victims of wage theft should contact an employment lawyer. Unfortunately, the legal battle against wage theft can take a lot of time. This means it may take months for an employee to recover their entitled pay. As a result, an employee may struggle financially. However, lawyers can help make this process a bit easier for an employee, due to their qualifications and experience handling cases.
Employees should always check their pay stubs to ensure that they are being paid for their time worked, including overtime. If they find that they are not being paid fairly, they should first go to their employer to correct it. If they fail to do so, or if it becomes a repeated issue, they should contact a lawyer. Employees should not always assume that wage theft is accidental, especially if it happens more than once with the same employer.
South Jersey Employment Lawyers at The Law Offices of Leo B. Dubler, III, LLC Help Victims of Wage Theft
If your employer failed to pay you the total amount you earned, contact a South Jersey employment lawyer at The Law Offices of Leo B. Dubler, III, LLC. It is illegal to pay an employee less than they deserve. When an employer fails to compensate you fairly, it is time to take legal action. If you are interested in consulting an employment lawyer, contact us online or call us at 856-235-7075 for a free consultation. With office locations in Mount Laurel and Atlantic City, New Jersey, we proudly serve clients throughout South Jersey, including Cherry Hill, Burlington County, and Camden County.