A lot of people are working more than two jobs to keep up with rent, utility bills and debt. When an employee isn’t paid for the time they worked, then their livelihood can be put in jeopardy. Employees have legal rights that protect them from wage theft, but people often can only take action after they’ve become victims.
Many employers use underhanded tactics to steal money from their workers. Many people are victims of wage theft without realizing it. Here are a few signs that an employee is a victim of wage theft:
An employee isn’t being paid overtime for their work
Employees are paid minimum wage under federal laws. The minimum wage in Texas is $7.25. If an employee works extra hours, they can receive overtime pay. An employee would be eligible for overtime if they work more than 40 hours in a workweek. Every hour of overtime grants an employee one and one-half of their typical hourly wage.
An employer may withhold overtime pay, which is a form of wage theft. This could have been done if an employer asked an employee to work extra hours off the clock, for example.
An employee has their wage docked to pay for their uniform or tools
Many jobs require employees to wear uniforms. Employers may have to purchase specific-sized uniforms for their employees. Likewise, an employer may also deduct money to pay for an employee’s tools. An employer may try to get their money back by deducting an employee’s pay. Taking money from an employee’s salary is an illegal deduction.
An employee was misclassified as exempt or contracted
An employee’s classification can greatly affect their benefits and rights. If an employee is wrongly classified as exempt, they may lose the ability to gain overtime pay. A contracted classification could cause an employee to lose health benefits, workers comp and overtime pay. An employer may purposefully misclassify an employee to save money.
If you believe you’re a victim of wage theft, it is important to learn about your legal options.