HOUSTON, Texas. According to a recent article in the Houston Chronicle, the three leading types of wage and hour violations are: unpaid overtime violations, misclassification of employees as independent contractors, and failing to log all the hours a person works. How do these wage and hour violations occur?
When it comes to unpaid overtime, employers may believe that by paying a worker a salary, they will then be exempt from paying for the worker’s overtime hours. However, the law for salaried workers varies from state to state. For example, in Houston, Texas, workers must make at least $23,660 a year in order to be exempt from overtime pay. However, the law also regulates what duties qualify a worker from exemption. If you have not been paid overtime and are unsure about whether you are entitled to receive overtime pay, consider reaching out to the employment lawyers at Moore & Associates in Houston, Texas to learn more.
Another common way that employees experience wage and hour violations is when they are misclassified as independent contractors. Ride sharing companies received quite a bit of scrutiny because when experts did the math, they found that drivers were sometimes making less than minimum wage per hour when expenses and other costs were taken into account. Some worker’s rights advocates are fighting to have these drivers classified as employees. But, ride sharing companies are not the only place where workers are sometimes misclassified. Other industries, like the oilfields may also misclassify workers, leading to lost pay.
Finally, if you are asked to perform duties during a lunch break, but are not paid for this break, your employer could be in violation of wage and hour laws. Workers have a right to be paid when they are waiting, or when they are on duty, even if the duties are light.
According to the Houston Chronicle, the workers most likely to suffer wage and hour violation are restaurant workers. Restaurant owners sometimes take worker’s tips, or they unlawfully require their waiters to share tips. Another field where workers suffer wage and hour violations is on the oil field. Moore & Associates are oilfield unpaid overtime workers in Houston, Texas who may be able to help you fight back under the law.
The United States Department of Labor provides a hotline and website where workers who believe that they have suffered wage and hour violations can make a report. However, it can sometimes be difficult to fight an employer on your own. Many workers are worried about suffering retaliation from their employers. However, with a lawyer on your side to protect your rights, many workers are able to seek justice while also protecting themselves from unlawful retaliation from their employers. If you believe you have suffered a wage and hour violation, protect your rights. Consider speaking to Moore & Associates, a Houston, Texas employment lawyer. Our firm can investigate your claim, determine whether you may be owed back pay, and fight to help you get the justice you may deserve.
Moore & Associates
440 Louisiana Street, Suite 675
Houston, TX 77002
713-581-9001
