The standard work week is 40 hours of work. If you are made to work beyond that period, you are entitled to overtime pay, barring a few exceptions. While federal and state laws are in place to ensure that employees get appropriate compensation for overtime work, employers often flout the rules. When you haven’t received fair payment for your work, it is a violation of your rights, and you have the option to take legal action. If you have a wage-related dispute, visit this page to find more details. A proficient and capable employment lawyer will fight for you.
Understanding wage disputes
There are several examples of wage disputes. Besides the typical example of not paying for overtime work, you could be a victim of employment status misclassification. You might not have received the benefits you are entitled to for your work. It would help if you had a wage & hour claim attorney who can investigate the case and give you a fair overview of the situation. These rights are valid across more sectors, and a lawyer can guide you through the process.
Finding a good lawyer
Unfortunately, employers often evade laws to reduce what they pay for overtime. In numerous situations, employees are classified as independent contractors so as to avoid overtime payment. Finding the right employment attorney for your case is as important as your decision to take action. Here are a few pointers that may come in handy –
- Ask around. If you have colleagues who have had issues related to wage disputes, you can talk to them to find the lawyers they have worked with.
- Check online. many websites like Nolo, Avvo, and Justia have ready listings of employment attorneys, and you can also find detailed websites of law firms through Google.
- Meet the lawyer. The best lawyers don’t usually charge a fee to review wage dispute-related matters, and you should meet one to discuss your case.
- Check the lawyer’s resume. Does the employment attorney work for just employees? If this is true, that is always a good advantage.
- Consider if there is a conflict of interest. You may want to avoid that option if the same law firm represents your employer in another legal matter.
Many employment attorneys work on an hourly rate or retainer fee, but in some cases, a contingency fee could be an option too. Ensure that you understand the costs and expenses of the legal battle, for which you can ask the attorney for an estimate.
