Many Indiana employees work on an hourly basis. Instead of arranging a long-term contract with annual pay requirements, they agree to variable income based on the time that they work.
Hourly employees deserve compensation for the time that they commit to their jobs. Unfortunately, companies sometimes engage in employment practices that violate the rights of individual workers. Wage theft or the intentional refusal to pay workers the wages they deserve based on the hours worked is relatively common. The following are some of the most frequent wage and hour law violations that occur in Indiana.
Payroll delays and infrequent checks
The law in Indiana imposes a requirement on businesses to pay workers frequently. At a minimum, companies should issue paychecks for workers every two weeks. Some businesses issue weekly payroll checks, while a small percentage of businesses offer daily pay as an incentive to take a job with the company. Organizations that do not issue paychecks every two weeks or that delay paychecks past the posted time of delivery may have violated state and federal wage statutes. Even when there are banking issues or other challenges, companies should make paychecks available in accordance with posted signage about worker pay.
A refusal to pay overtime
Companies that pay workers on an hourly basis may have to compensate them for any overtime that employees work. If employees put in more than 40 hours in a particular work week, they should receive 150% of their usual hourly wage for any additional time worked. While companies sometimes have policies against overtime, they have to pay overtime wages if they allow workers to put in overtime hours. The refusal to pay for overtime work is a common payroll violation.
Altering payroll records
One of the numerous questionable methods companies use to avoid overtime pay obligations is the intentional modification of time clock records. Businesses that alter people’s time in and out of their shifts to avoid overtime wage requirements. Employers might also manipulate workers into performing certain job responsibilities off the clock when workers should receive pay for all routine job functions performed for their employers.
When workers recognize that a company has failed to pay them as they deserve, they may need to take legal action. Pursuing a wage and hour claim can lead to appropriate compensation for those previously denied pay for their time worked. Workers who can recognize common wage violations can stand up for themselves and others when a company violates their rights.
