Washington DC Wage Theft Lawyer

You probably don’t associate misconduct like theft with your employer, but many employers can be at fault for wage theft. Your relationship with your employer as an employee, creates certain obligations for compensation under the law. When these obligations are not met, such as paying minimum wage and overtime compensation, this is a form of theft.

Every wage theft case is different. Some wage theft cases are intentional, while in other cases wages may be being withheld inadvertently. Regardless of the specific facts, in either case there is money being kept that belongs to you.

Our Washington DC wage theft lawyers represent employees in many different situations. From simply figuring out if you are being paid fair and lawful wages to fighting to uphold your rights, a seasoned attorney could help.

Wage Theft Fundamentals

Wage theft is a surprisingly common problem. All too often, employers take advantage of employees who fail to stand up for the compensation they are entitled to receive. Laws like the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the Washington D.C Wage Theft Prevention Act were enacted to hold employers accountable and provide victims of wage theft with rights and remedies.

Wage theft can happen in different ways. An employer’s failure to pay required minimum wage and overtime in accordance with federal and state law are more common examples of wage theft. Wage theft can also happen when an employer improperly deducts from or withholds paychecks from their employees.

Overtime Violations and Wage Theft

Washington DC employees are either exempt or non-exempt under the FLSA or DC wage and hour laws. Exempt employees, such as independent contractors, are not entitled to receive overtime pay.

As a way to cut costs, many employers wrongfully classify employees as exempt from overtime in order to avoid paying those wages. Overtime wages earned, but not paid, to a misclassified employee is a prevalent issue among wage theft cases. Employees should be aware that just because they have signed paperwork stating that they are somehow exempt does not mean that they do not still have a claim for wage theft.

Retaliation in Response to Filing a Wage Theft Claim

Employers who retaliate against employees for filing a wage theft claim are in violation of the law. Employees are entitled to assert their rights to file a complaint regarding their wages free from retaliation.

Employers who have retaliated against an employee can face more penalties in addition to the amounts they may owe for wage theft alone. Employers face serious repercussions for retaliation or violations of wage and hour laws. In addition to potentially having to pay their employees back wages and damages, employers could also face criminal penalties for willful violation of wage and hour laws.

Get Advice from a Washington DC Wage Theft Attorney Today

If you have reason to believe that you are not being fully compensated, a Washington DC wage theft lawyer at our firm may be able to provide the advice you need to pursue your claim. We take pride in helping employees like you recover your hard-earned wages.

Wage theft impacts employees across all job fields. Regardless of your job title, if your employer is violating wage and hour laws, you may need a lawyer. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have more questions about filing a wage theft claim.