Has Your Employer Illegally Denied You Wages Or Benefits?
There is an ongoing national conversation about what it means to earn a “living wage” and whether major corporations are underpaying their workers. These are important topics, to be sure, but like it or not, most of those corporations are abiding by the law. Unfortunately, there are plenty of other businesses that cheat their workers out of earned wages in violation of existing statutes.
At Barrera & Associates, Attorneys, our attorneys are highly knowledgeable regarding California and federal wage-and-hour laws and highly experienced in litigating employment law claims. When you contact our office in El Segundo, we can help you determine whether your rights were violated and what legal options you may have.
Common Examples Of Wage And Hour Violations
Dishonest employers use many tactics to withhold money from employees. Some are obvious while others may be difficult to detect. Examples include:
Misclassifying workers as independent contractors: While independent contractor relationships are real and mutually beneficial, many companies will misclassify workers as ICs when they should be considered full employees. Businesses do this to save money and because ICs have very few job protections.
Misclassifying exemption status: Some workers are eligible for overtime pay (nonexempt) while others are not (exempt). Often, exempt workers are salaried while nonexempt workers are hourly, but this isn’t universally true. If you were misclassified as exempt, you may be missing out on highly valuable overtime wages.
Violations of meals, rest breaks: California law has strict protections for meal and rest breaks. Employers must provide a paid 10-minute break for every four hours of work and an unpaid 30-minute meal break for a shift of more than 5 hours. These breaks cannot be unduly interrupted, and employers can place very few limitations on how employees use them. Unfortunately, workers are too often denied breaks or forced to take them in ways that essentially keep them on the clock.
Failure to reimburse expenses: Some employers also violate wage laws by refusing to reimburse necessary employment expenses that their workers paid for out of pocket. This could include the cost of uniforms or mileage reimbursement for certain workers who drive as part of the job.
Other wage and hour violations: If your employer withholds pay that you have earned, takes too long to pay you, asks you to work off the clock, pays you less than minimum wage or does something else that prevents you from receiving a fair wage, their actions may be illegal. It is worth discussing your concerns with a lawyer.
Free Consultations Available – Reach Out Today
From our office in El Segundo, our attorneys at Barrera & Associates, Attorneys serve clients throughout Southern California. To schedule your free initial consultation, you can reach out online or call 800-481-9492. Se habla español.
