Overtime Damages

If an overtime lawsuit is successful, the employee can recover back pay, attorneys' fees, liquidated damages, and in certain circumstances, punitive damages. In general, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) allows employees to collect back pay for overtime hours worked up to two years before the lawsuit is filed and until the case concludes.

If you believe you are owed unpaid overtime, fill out our free case evaluation form today. Our overtime attorneys will evaluate your claim, at no cost to you.

Under the FLSA, liquidated damages match the amount of unpaid wages due to the worker who was denied time-and-a-half pay. In other words, if the worker is awarded $4000 in back pay, he or she may be eligible for an additional $4000 in liquidated damages. If the company can show they reasonably believed their practices did not violate overtime law, liquidated damages may not be awarded.

Employees who file overtime lawsuits can also collect punitive damages if they can prove their employer retaliated against them for filing a claim. Also, if the employee wins the overtime lawsuit, the employer may be required to cover the workers' out-of-pocket litigation costs, as well as an additional attorneys' fee award.

To determine how much you can recover through an overtime lawsuit, you must first find the difference between what you were paid and what you should have been paid. Every hour worked over 40 in a single workweek should be compensated at a rate of time-and-a-half. Therefore, if you worked 50 hours in one workweek and your regular rate is $10 per hour, you should receive $150 ($15 per overtime hour) in overtime pay. However, calculating your overtime pay rate may differ if you are paid by salary or piece rate.

If you were not paid at a rate of time-and-a-half for hours worked over 40, you may be eligible to recover overtime damages through a lawsuit. Contact our overtime attorneys today to find out how we can help you recover back pay and additional overtime damages for your employer's violations.