Texas is a state that’s full of people who are proud to earn a living working. Unfortunately, almost nothing sours a relationship between an employer and employee than the former treating the latter unfairly. With that in mind, there’s a lot of misinformation out there about overtime compensation. Considering that, here’s the truth behind some of the most common overtime myths.
Unauthorized overtime equals unpaid labor
Certain employers have no problem lying to their employees by telling them they won’t pay for unauthorized work. Even if your work was unauthorized and it qualifies as overtime, you should get overtime pay. If your employer is having problems with unauthorized work, that isn’t something you should be financially punished over.
Waiving overtime pay in writing
Another one of the most common myths about overtime pay is that you can waive it as long as it’s in writing. Strangely, some employees either love or fear their employer so much that they’re willing to work for free. Even if you sign an agreement to waive your overtime pay, your employer still has to pay you.
Overtime pay isn’t for salaried workers
Many overtime compensation claims involve salaried employees. That might sound strange since most people believe salary work means not receiving overtime pay, which isn’t true. As is the case with hourly workers, salaried employees often have the right to overtime compensation.
As unethical as it sounds, some employers still try to trick their employees into working unpaid overtime. Unfortunately, these companies can utilize many tricks to avoid paying out overtime compensation. However, you must remember that you have rights as a worker. One of these rights involves receiving fair compensation, including when you work overtime.