While many companies do their best to provide employees with decent wages that include overtime pay, some fail to comply with acceptable standards or even legal requirements. Some employers will even go as far as deducting wages below minimum wage which is against federal law under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
Things to know about wage and hour claims
Finding ways to reduce costs to run a company has traditionally led many employers to offer workers a fixed salary while getting as much work out of them as possible. However, intentionally or unintentionally denying employees their fair pay for overtime and other labor can lead to wage and hour claims.
If you have been paid less than you were expecting, your first option should always be to immediately alert your boss or the human resources department. Your company should, in good faith, reimburse you for the wages you deserve.
Handling these incidents out of court is usually best, especially when the financial discrepancy is small. However, there are times when legal guidance should be sought for further action, especially for workers who count on every penny they work for just to get by.
Some employees might accept being unjustly or illegally underpaid because they simply do not realize it is happening. For example, you might not be aware that you should be paid for work time spent at lectures, seminars, meetings, traveling, or other company events.
Yet another unfair practice is to pay overtime but at a lower rate than employees deserve.
In Indiana, overtime pay should be calculated at one and a half times a worker’s normal hourly wage. This means that if you earn $20 per hour, you are entitled to $30 per hour for overtime.
If you have experienced a wage and hourly discrepancy your employer refuses to correct, you should get legal help to protect your rights.
