Wage theft is a serious problem in the workplace that thousands of workers around the country have to face. This situation occurs when the employer decides to stop paying the employee what he really deserves for all the work he has done. There are different forms of wage theft that companies commit in order to benefit themselves and try to “save” a little money. Among these forms we can find:
- Payments less than the minimum wage stipulated by law.
- Not paying for overtime hours worked.
- Not paying legal benefits.
- Pay less than what was established in the contract
- Reducing or completely denying pay to a worker for a period of time in retaliation.
- Prohibit an employee from taking paid breaks.
It is important that you know your rights and what wage theft is so you can identify it right away and find a solution. What you can do first is talk to your manager and tell them about the non-payment you are experiencing. If it was a mistake, your employer can simply pay you what they owe you or else, if your employer refuses to pay you and you continue to be legally unpaid, you can sue.
The first thing you should do to start your legal process is to approach a lawyer specialized in labor law. They will be able to help you in a professional manner, guiding you all the way to fight with whoever is necessary to get the compensation you deserve for the work that you have not been paid as you should have.
It doesn’t matter if you have legal status or not, workers’ rights are protected regardless of whether they have papers or where they come from.
At Hernandez Law we are ready to fight for your rights as a worker and recover that money that belongs to you. We believe that no one deserves to have their hard-earned wages taken away from them. Contact Us.
