Fort Oglethorpe Unpaid Overtime Lawyer
If you been working long hours to get your job done, you may want to ensure that your employer is paying you any overtime wages you are eligible to receive. Employers are always happy to see he or she’s employees working hard, meeting deadlines and getting the job done, but may not always pay for all those working hours.
If you are working more than 40 hours in one work week, you may be entitled to overtime compensation. If you are unfairly denied the overtime wages that you have worked hard to earn, a Fort Oglethorpe unpaid overtime lawyer at our firm could be there to help you claim those wages. Contact a skilled lawyer who may be well-versed in the Fair Labor Standards Act as soon as possible that could begin working on your case.
Federal Overtime Compensation Guidelines
Unpaid overtime is a frequently cited violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The FLSA is the primary authority for federal overtime guidelines. Most employers in Fort Oglethorpe are required to adhere to the provisions of this law, including overtime.
Employees covered by the FLSA who work more than 40 hours in a seven-day workweek are entitled to receive overtime compensation. Pursuant to the FLSA, a workweek is a period spent working for seven consecutive days. Averaging the number of hours worked between weeks to get below the overtime threshold is not permitted.
Although there are strict guidelines regarding overtime compensation, the FLSA does not enforce a limit on the number of hours an adult employee could work per work week.
What is Unpaid Overtime?
Overtime compensation could be at least one and a half times an employee’s regular pay rate. Unpaid overtime includes any overtime hours that have not been compensated at this rate. An employer could always elect to compensate an employee more than time and a half for overtime hours, but not less.
Exceptions to Overtime Pay Requirements
Limited workers are exempt from overtime under the FLSA. The rules for determining whether an employee is exempt from overtime are stringent and depend on an employee’s job duties. Independent contractors and salary employees could be described as typical examples of exempt employees.
The rules governing exemptions from overtime are strict to prevent employers from having the authority to dictate who is entitled to receive overtime and who is not. Many employers deliberately misclassify employees as exempt to get around paying overtime.
Working Off the Clock
If an employee is working hard to put in extra time during a busy week or to meet a deadline, that time could be compensated. Many employers may choose to ignore this time when it comes to payroll. Time spent working off the clock in these or any circumstances is compensable work time, and a Fort Oglethorpe unpaid overtime lawyer from our firm could help.
If an employee is working from home, working through lunch, or working before and after a scheduled shift, he or she is entitled to be paid for that work. Since overtime is required, employees may not volunteer to work overtime hours and forego this compensation. Employers could never force an employee to “punch out” but continue to work off the clock to avoid having a record of overtime.
Record Keeping
Keeping thorough records is a good way to avoid disagreements regarding the number of hours an employee has worked. Although under the FLSA employers are required to keep records of daily and weekly hours for non-exempt employees, it is a good practice for employees to also track he or she’s hours.
Consulting with a Fort Oglethorpe Unpaid Overtime Attorney
We have been helping employees recover unpaid overtime in Fort Oglethorpe for years. A Fort Oglethorpe unpaid overtime lawyer from our firm could work tirelessly to get you just compensation. To learn how we could help you, set up a free initial consultation.
