Not Getting Paid What You Earned? We Fight Wage and Hour Violations in New York
Most people assume wage and hour violations only happen in low wage jobs. But in New York, it affects workers across every profession. Whether you are hourly, salary, tipped, or working a hybrid schedule, employers have a legal duty to pay you properly for every minute you work. Sadly, that does not always happen.
Maybe your manager insists you clock out before finishing tasks. Or you routinely work through lunch but the time is never added to your check. Perhaps you stayed late to help during a busy week and were told there is no overtime because you are “salaried.” Even worse, some workers are misclassified as independent contractors just so the company can avoid paying benefits and overtime.
When your paycheck does not reflect your effort, the financial strain adds up quickly. You may feel guilty or nervous to question it because you need the job. You might even assume there is nothing that can be done or that your employer is too powerful to push back against.
If any of these situations sound familiar, it is important to know that wage and hour rights exist for a reason. You have the right to be paid fairly under the law.
Signs of Wage and Hour Violations
The following are examples of when you may have a legitimate legal claim against your employer….
You’re required to work off the clock; denied overtime even though you consistently work more than 40 hours per week; are told to skip breaks or are interrupted during them without pay; are paid a tipped wage but are asked to perform non tipped duties for long periods; are labeled an independent contractor but work like a regular employee under the company’s control; your paychecks are missing hours, shifts, or full days you worked, or your rate of pay is changed without proper notice.
Sometimes the violations are subtle. A missing hour here or a shorted break there. Over time, that can equal thousands of dollars of stolen wages. New York wage and hour laws protect workers in these situations. Employers cannot look the other way or hope you will not notice.
How to Protect Yourself
If your paycheck seems off, trust that feeling. Keep your own detailed records including the hours you actually worked, texts from supervisors, screenshots of schedules, and pay stubs. Ask questions and report concerns to HR if available. Then speak with a knowledgeable employment attorney as soon as possible. You may be able to recover unpaid wages, overtime, interest, penalties, and even attorney fees.
You should be paid for every hour you work. If your employer is cutting corners or ignoring wage laws, Legal Ally can help protect your rights.
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