When you work in the United States, you are protected by the Fair Labor Standards Act. This act is meant to protect employees from being taken advantage of by their employer when it comes to being properly paid for hours worked. This includes ensuring you get paid for all overtime worked, as well as to ensure you are being paid at least the minimum wage set by the state. When you feel as if your employer is not operating within the law, you can hire an NJ employment attorney to represent you.
Paid for All Hours
When you are an hourly employee, you must be paid for all hours you work. This means you are still entitled to payment when your job takes you away from the office or if you are considered off the clock at the time you are required to perform more work. Many employers take advantage of employees by claiming the employee was running errands rather than actually working, taking time off the time card for breaks that were not taken or forcing employees to take work home.
Avoiding Overtime
Many employers will try to deny overtime but still require the work to be done. This is a common way for employers to get the work done without having to pay for it. If your employer asks you to complete work after you have already clocked out or your paycheck seems much smaller than what it should be and you suspect your time card has been tampered with, you will need the help of an NJ employment attorney to prove your case.
Tip Payments
Employees who are mainly paid by tips can also suffer from being improperly paid by their employer. There are a variety of ways an employer can take advantage of these employees, including avoiding paying them an hourly minimum wage that is required by law or refusing/avoiding the payment of overtime.
If you feel as if your employer has taken advantage of you and violated the FLSA, you will need an NJ employment attorney to represent you and help you prove your case. While it might not be easy to prove you are being unfairly treated, it is worth the effort of hiring an attorney and obtaining proper representation to get the compensation you are entitled to as a result of the work you completed.
