You are legally entitled to full wages when you work. Unfortunately, this doesn’t always happen.
Some employers steal from their employees in different ways, including paying less than the minimum wage per hour, misclassifying employees, taking tips and so on. But what can you do if you are experiencing wage theft?
Here are two things to consider.
Report internally
Reporting wage theft internally may seem in vain since the company already knows its withholding benefits from you. However, your employer may not be aware of what’s happening. For instance, in the case of a supervisor or manager taking tips from employees. And, at times, it may be an honest mistake or a technical error, for example, when your paycheck is incorrect. Your employer should follow up on your case and offer a reliable solution sooner.
Nonetheless, even if your employer is committing the theft, reporting also helps. You will gather all the documents you submitted when reporting and your communication records and use them as evidence when taking legal action.
Report to the Labor Commissioner’s Office
The Labor Commissioner’s Office ensures employees have safe and fair workplaces. Therefore, if your case is not resolved internally, you should file a wage claim with the office. They will process your claim and help you get your unpaid wages.
The office will first investigate the case to determine if your employer owes you the wages or benefits. Thus, you should send all relevant documents when filing your claim. These include reports showing the hours you worked and your pay stubs.
If you are experiencing a wage and hour violation in your company, it will help to obtain adequate information about your case to act accordingly.