Columbus, OH Unpaid WAge Lawyers

It doesn’t matter if your employer meant to withhold your wages or not; when your wages go unpaid, it’s called wage theft. It’s important to understand the many ways employers commit wage theft and what you can do about it.

Don’t let hours of hard work go uncompensated. If you are the victim of unpaid wage violations in Ohio, our unpaid wages attorneys will help you get the money you earned when it goes unpaid by your employer.

From the Perspective of an Unpaid Wages Lawyer, What Are Some Common Forms of Wage Theft?

Wage theft can come in a variety of forms. Here are some common situations where employee underpayment may become an issue:

• You should be paid promptly at the end of the pay period. If your check is held up, that’s an unpaid wage violation which can be fought with the help of our unpaid wage attorneys in Columbus, Ohio.
• If you quit or get fired, your final paycheck should be issued at the next pay period. Usually, you can pick up this check in person or have it mailed to you.
• If you have accrued paid time off (PTO) that you didn’t use when you separated from employment, that PTO should be paid at the next pay period. You are entitled to overtime at one and a half times your regular rate for every hour over 40 that you work in a week.

Additional Circumstances Where Employees Are Not Compensated Properly

Unpaid overtime is one of the most frequent sources of unpaid wages. Being forced to work off the clock is another major source of unpaid wage violations. Here are some additional situations that involve unpaid wages:

• If you are required to attend meetings outside of regular working hours that are directly related to your job, you should be compensated.
• If your boss requires you to travel between job sites, that time is paid time.
• If your job requires you to wear personal protective equipment (PPE), the time you spend putting on and taking off PPE is compensable.
• If you are a tipped employee who is required to turn in any portion of your tips, except as part of a valid tip pool, then you are being robbed of your wages.
• If you are provided with an unpaid lunch or break period, any time you work through those periods should be compensated. This can include meal or rest periods that your employer requires you to miss, or if you eat lunch at your desk and continue working on your own initiative. It’s up to your employer to enforce unpaid meal and break times.

Understanding the Fair Labor Standards Act

Any time you are “suffered or permitted to work,” you should be paid. If you are required to be on the premises while on call, you should be paid for your waiting time.

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) allows employers to round hours to the nearest quarter hour, but they can’t always round down. Minutes one through seven should be rounded down, but minutes eight to 14 should be rounded up. If your company rounds your hours down when they should round up, they are robbing you of the wages you earned. Learn more about how to report unpaid wages in Ohio.

What Kinds of Remedies Are Available for Unpaid Wage Violations?

You can recover back pay in the amount of wages you earned but were not paid. Additionally, you may be entitled to liquidated damages in an amount equal to that back pay. You can, in effect, be paid double the amount of unpaid wages. You can also get your attorney’s fees and costs paid for by your employer.

Let’s break this down. If an employee is successful in establishing that a violation happened, an employer must pay:

• Back pay
• Liquidated damages
• Attorney fees
• Punitive damages (in certain cases)

Determining the wages owed can be complicated and confusing. Having an unpaid wages attorney in Columbus to help can bring clarity while easing the stress of the situation.

How Long Do I Have to Contact an Unpaid Wages Attorney?

Under the FLSA, you have two years from the violation to file a lawsuit to recover unpaid wages and other damages. If the violation is occurring repeatedly, you have two years from the date of the last violation, but you can only recover up to two years’ worth of unpaid wages.

In the case of a willful violation, you have up to three years to file a lawsuit, and you can recover up to three years’ worth of unpaid wages. A violation can be considered willful if your employer knew they were violating the law or acted with reckless disregard of the law.

Why Choose to Work with Coffman Legal’s Team of Unpaid Wages Lawyers

At Coffman Legal, we are dedicated to tackling legal issues that other firms may shy away from. Our team of unpaid wages attorneys is experienced in litigating complex wage and hour disputes, and we use this expertise to fight for deserved compensation.

Motivation for achieving justice is far beyond a quick settlement and we persistently advocate for the best long-term solutions for each and every one of our clients. For assistance from our team of Columbus, Ohio unpaid wages lawyers, be sure to reach out and we can review your case.