Overtime & Unpaid Wages Lawyers in Fort Lauderdale
Enforcing the Rights of Employees in South Florida Since 1982
Do you believe you have been unfairly compensated by your employer for work done at your job? Various types of wage and hour violations can occur in the workplace calling for the services of a knowledgeable and trusted employment law attorney. At The Amlong Firm, our legal team believes employers should be held accountable when they attempt to cheat employees out of their hard-earned wages.
Our lawyers handle many of these wage-and-hour claims on a contingency fee basis especially if we believe you have a strong case. Not only does the law forbid this behavior but it also makes your boss pay your attorney's fees if your claim is successful. With many years of legal experience under our belts, numerous awards and accolades concerning the quality of our legal ability and service, and a proven track record of courtroom wins, our firm offers peace of mind knowing that your case will be handled with true professionalism.
Unpaid wages or overtime? Arrange for your consultation with one of our Fort Lauderdale overtime & unpaid wages attorneys at (954) 953-5490 today.
Types of Wage Violations
Many types of wage and overtime violations can exist in the workplace, including the following:
- Employers illegally withholding commissions or wages
- Employers failing to pay the minimum wage
- Employers failing to pay overtime to workers
- Employers attempting to circumvent wage and overtime laws by classifying workers as exempt or independent contractors
- Employers asking employees to work through meal or rest breaks without pay
- Employers putting unreasonable deadlines on work projects which then force employees to work extra unpaid hours
- Employees putting time in for work projects or duties at home without pay
- Employers failing to pay employees for travel time related to work
- Employers failing to pay employees for work training, seminars, or other meetings
- Employers failing to properly calculate overtime pay; even when off by a small amount, it is a violation of federal law
The Fair Labor Standards Act
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is a federal law that delineates employee rights concerning such wage and hour matters as minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping, and child labor. Under this law, employers are required to pay the federal minimum per-hour wage as well as overtime pay at a rate of one and a half times after you have worked a minimum of 40 hours during the week.
In Florida, employees are protected by both state and federal laws regarding this matter. For example, you must be paid the highest minimum wage that applies, whether that is the federal rate or the state rate. Currently (as of 2020), Florida’s minimum wage rate exceeds that of the federal rate; your employer must pay you Florida’s rate. For those whose jobs depend on tips, you may be paid the state’s tipped employees minimum wage rate (which is lower) as long as the tips you bring in are enough to make up the difference between your minimum wage rate and that of the standard minimum wage rate.
Currently, Florida has not established an overtime rate law. However, you are still protected by the federal FLSA law.
We Handle All Cases Big & Small
While many wage-and-hour claims involve relatively small amounts of money, such as when an employer doesn't pay a few hours of overtime in a single week. However, this amount can grow significantly over time, especially if your employer is doing the same thing to other workers.
In fact, we often find that when an employer is willing to treat one employee unfairly, it usually has no problem doing the same thing to other employees. Because of this, we also handle class-action lawsuits in which many workers have been negatively impacted by an employer's illegal wage-and-hour practices.
Our attorneys have helped workers in the construction industry and those in direct and indirect sales in class-action suits. We have also represented employees misclassified as independent contractors in the adult entertainment industry, the construction industry, the travel industry, and many others.
Representing Small Businesses in Wage and Hour Claims
Our law firm also represents restaurants and other small businesses that face non-meritorious wage-and-hour claims, including claims related to alleged unpaid overtime or commissions. As lawyers who normally represent plaintiffs, we can quickly assess whether liability on your part exists.
If there is liability, we will advise you to pay immediately so you can minimize your losses and potential obligations for attorney's fees and costs. On the other hand, if we feel you have no liability, we are in a good position to defend you in court and seek summary judgment and sanctions against nuisance claims.
Ready to discuss your case? Call The Amlong Firm at (954) 953-5490 or contact us through our online request form today.
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