John P. Bisnar Personal Injury Law Blog on Lawyers.com

Irvine Wage and Hour Lawyers

Wednesday, May 16, 2012 by John P. Bisnar

There are very specific state and federal laws that govern wage and hour issues, yet every day employees' rights are violated in this regard. Why are there so many wage and hour cases if the law is so clear? Sometimes it is because employers are simply unaware of the laws, but in many cases the employers are simply trying to get more work from employees for less money. In either case, employers are bound by law to pay employees a fair wage and to create a safe and fair work environment. If your rights have been violated in the workplace, Irvine wage and hour lawyers are here to help.

Minimum wage is set by both federal and state law. While there is a federal minimum wage standard, there are also local minimum wage laws that might force your employer to pay you more than the federal standard. For example, in San Francisco, local minimum wage is set by law at a level higher than the federal minimum wage. However, employers may count on employees being uninformed in this area and might try to pay an employee less than the minimum wage.

In most cases, however, employers comply with the minimum wage laws but attempt to get extra work out of employees without extra pay. In general, employers are required to pay time and a half for anything over 40 hours per week, although there are exceptions to this rule. Many employers attempt to deny employees the extra compensation they have earned, resulting in a wage and hour violation.

Other areas that fall under the wage and hour standards are costs of employment such as uniforms and equipment. In general, if an employer requires employees to wear a particular uniform or use specific equipment, the employer must provide these things free of charge to employees. When an employer forces employees to pay for such items, the employer may be guilty of a wage and hour violation, as well.

Wage and hour attorneys in Irvine help employees to understand their rights under the law and collect compensation for wage and hour violations. If you have been the victim of a wage and hour problem and you have been unable to get your employer to resolve the situation, it may be time to talk to a professional wage and hour lawyer about your situation. An expert in wage and hour law can explain your rights and help you recover the money you are owed.

Posted at 17:09 PM

Topic: Personal Injury