Fort Oglethorpe FLSA Lawyer
The right to work with dignity is a central concept in both federal and state labor laws. A key part of this is the right to work for a fair wage as outlined in the Fair Labor Standards Act, or FLSA. Passed by the U.S. Congress in 1938, the FLSA guarantees the rights of all workers to a minimum hourly wage and overtime pay and prohibits pay discrimination based on a worker’s sex.
Many states have taken steps to expand upon these federally mandated minimum protections. Georgia has not chosen to increase the minimum wage, but workers in the state still have the right to collect proper wages for all work that they do. A Fort Oglethorpe FLSA lawyer could help you if your wages are illegally withheld by working with you to file a complaint against your employer and seek reimbursement for any lost pay. A passionate personal injury attorney could help to further explain these laws and fight for your rights.
What Protections Do Fort Oglethorpe Workers Have?
The wage and hour protections given to Georgia workers are the same as the federal minimums. Based on these regulations, hourly workers in Fort Oglethorpe must receive an hourly minimum wage of at least $7.25 per hour. This may not apply to people working for a set salary, or for people who supplement their income with tips.
All covered workers who work in excess of 40 hours per week must be given overtime pay. Employers must pay at a rate of one and a half times the normal hourly wage for each overtime hour worked, with narrow exceptions. For example, if a worker normally makes ten dollars per hour, then all hours in a week worked beyond 40 must be paid at a rate of at least 15 dollars per hour.
Protected Classes
One limited area where Georgia has expanded upon worker protections is Georgia Code §34-1-2. This statute prohibits an employer from taking an adverse action against an employee due to their age. This applies only to workers between 40 and 70 years of age. FLSA protections mandate that a worker cannot be fired, demoted, offered different hours, or suffer any kind of negative work experience based upon their sex. A Fort Oglethorpe FLSA lawyer could help people to evaluate the actions taken by their employers to determine if they violated federal or state labor law.
Seeking Remedies for FLSA Violations
Despite Georgia’s laws providing protection to workers in case of wage disputes, the state provides no way for a worker to locally file a wage complaint. Instead, a worker who alleges that his or her employer violated a labor law must file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or EEOC. This is a federal agency with the power to investigate, mediate, and even punish instances of labor law violations throughout the country.
The typical recourse that workers seek from a complaint is a payment of all lost wages due to employer violations. The EEOC also has the power to issue civil fines or even criminally punish an employer who they find to be in violation of the law.
A worker in Catoosa County also has the option to take his or her case directly to a United States District Court. Here, a plaintiff has the burden to collect information, interview witnesses, examine documentation, and prove their case to a jury. A Fort Oglethorpe FLSA lawyer could help workers choose the path that is right for them. Every case is unique, and the decision to take the case to the EEOC or directly to court may be extremely important.
How A Fort Oglethorpe FLSA Attorney Could Help Workers
It is unfortunately common that employers may try to convince workers to lie on timesheets or to mislead employees to avoid paying. A Fort Oglethorpe FLSA lawyer could help you stand up to your employer and seek compensation for any lost wages.
You have the option to file a wage complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or to take your case directly to a court. Either way, a local attorney could stand by your side all the way through this important process. Call today to for a free consultation.
