Does your boss pay you for all the time that you work? If you are someone who works in the food and service industry or similar kinds of low-wage positions in the United States, you may be one of countless Americans who face labor law violations from their employers every year.
When it comes to violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act, underpaying employees is one of the top problems that the United States Department of Labor encounters. The law refers to this practice as wage theft.
What is wage theft?
Because FLSA states that employers must pay employees for “all time an employee must be on duty, or on the employer’s premises or at any other prescribed place of work,” doing things like requiring employees to clock out before allowing them to leave is form of theft. By law, your boss should pay you for any time you have to be there.
What are the consequences of wage theft?
When employers fail to pay employees for the time they have spent at work, they are violating federal law. As such, the consequences can be serious. In addition to multiple wage and hour lawsuits, violators of FLSA may also encounter steep fines and ruined reputations as employers.
What should I do if I have experienced wage theft at work?
If you have you think you are experiencing wage theft at work, do not be afraid to report it to your local labor regulation agency. You deserve payment for your time and effort.
Although speaking up when wage theft occurs can be intimidating, the more people who speak up, the louder the voices will be.
