Victims of Wage Theft in Chattanooga
Discovering that your employer has not paid you what is owed could come as a shock. If you believe that you have no legal recourse, you may first need to contact an attorney who could review your case and determine the next step. Victims of wage theft in Chattanooga do not need to feel helpless, an experienced attorney could help them hold their employers accountable for their negligent actions.
Frequency of Wage Theft per Year in Chattanooga
It is hard to say how many instances of wage theft occur in Chattanooga per calendar year because many of the instances of wage theft go unchecked and unnoticed. Most of the time, with wage theft, the U.S. Department of Labor cracks down on employers or employees speak up and hire an attorney to help them recover their unpaid wages. If an employee does not go to the Department of Labor or hire an attorney, frequently the employer faces little to no consequence for his or her actions.
Common Types of Wage Theft in Chattanooga
The most common type of wage theft involves employers that fail to follow the requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act, which is the minimum wage and overtime violation overtime law. That might mean that an employer fails to pay an employee the required $7.25 per hour or does not pay overtime at the required time-and-a-half rate. He or she might not even pay overtime at all.
Other instances of wage theft could include:
- Employers not paying employees agreed upon wages
- Employers failing to pay employees their earned commissions
- Making deductions that are kept by an employer
Misconceptions of Who is at Risk for Wage Theft.
There are not any particular workers who are at greater risk for wage theft in Chattanooga. Any worker might be exposed to risk. Wage theft violations occur with large and smaller employers alike. Sometimes these thefts can be more prevalent in a small to mid-sized businesses where the employers are less sophisticated about requirements under the law and there is not a dedicated person making sure the employers are abiding by the laws when it comes to how they pay their employees. Employees in any industry may have a wage theft case which is why it is so critical for victims to contact a skilled wage theft attorney in Chattanooga quickly.
Possible Recovery for Wage Theft in Chattanooga
An employee who has been subjected to wage theft may have a case against an employer for penalties that are provided under the law. If it is a minimum wage or overtime violation the employee might have a case to recover the unpaid minimum wage and overtime for a period of time in the past. That employee might also be able to levy penalties against the employer and the employee’s attorney’s fees paid for by the employer.
Similarly, if an employer fails to pay an employee commission, an employer might have a breach of contract case against that employer for those unpaid commissions. In certain industries, there might be penalties for that as well, depending on the specifics of the employee’s job duties. If an employee has questions about the types of options they have, they are encouraged to contact an attorney.
When a Victim Should Contact a Wage Theft Attorney in Chattanooga
A worker should contact an attorney as soon as they have questions about whether wage theft is occurring. How the worker handles his or her case is important. Depending on how long the worker has worked for the employer and how long the wage theft has been transpiring, any delay in filing a lawsuit by the worker might actually make a case smaller in recovery. Every single day that victims wait in filing a lawsuit is a day of compensation that they lose, so it could become exceptionally costly to hesitate in those cases. They should contact an attorney as soon as possible so they could protect victims in Chattanooga to the maximum degree.
How a Chattanooga Wage Theft Attorney Could Help
A Chattanooga attorney could expedite the remediation process and work toward a positive result by contacting the employer and potentially working out a settlement. Sometimes wage theft laws are complicated and require a background knowledge about the Fair Labor Standards Act and its exceptions and requirements. It helps to have an attorney who is familiar with wage theft laws, minimum wage laws, and overtime laws to convince the employer to pay a settlement.
Reach Out to an Attorney Who Could Help
Because time is of the essence in wage theft cases, Victims of wage theft in Chattanooga should contact an attorney as soon as possible. Reach out today to begin your confidential consultation.
