Wage and Hour Blog - Are You Owed Overtime Wages?
DOLs Budget Reflects Future Emphasis on FLSA Enforcement
Date: April 28, 2013By: FLSA Lawyers
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) released their 2014 fiscal year budget request, which included provisions that foreshadow an increase in enforcement of vital federal legislation for employees. Additional funding requested by the DOL indicates that it will step up enforcement of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and will crack down on the misclassification of workers by employers. The DOL is seeking a total 2014 budget of around $12.1 billion, about the same amount as...
Read More
House Committee Approves Legislation to Change Overtime, Comp Time
Date: April 18, 2013By: Overtime Lawyers
The U.S. House of Representatives Education and Workforce Committee has approved a bill that would overhaul the options employers have in compensating employees for overtime work. The bill would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to allow employers to offer compensatory paid time off to hourly employees who work more than 40 hours in a single workweek, instead of the current system of time-and-a-half the employee’s regular rate of pay. According to USA Today, many believe that this...
Read More
Are Unpaid Internships the Next Big Wage and Hour Controversy?
Date: March 12, 2013By: Wage & Hour Lawyers
In a tough economy, employment and wage and hour litigation tends to increase rapidly, with employers seeking to find cost-cutting loopholes and employees finally looking into the legal rights granted by wage and hour law. The next frontier of wage and hour litigation may be the realm of unpaid internships. Although unpaid internships have represented a significant boon for companies and a valuable learning experience for interns, there has been significant pushback against the practice in recent years.
Last year, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and certain states began to crack...
Read More
US Supreme Court to Decide What Changing Clothes Means Under FLSA
Date: March 7, 2013By: Overtime Lawyers
The U.S. Supreme Court will again confront the issue of what “changing clothes” means under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), granting certiorari in Sandifer v U.S. Steel. This lawsuit, filed by over 800 current and former workers at a U.S. Steel plant in Gary, Indiana, seeks compensation for the donning and doffing of various pieces of clothing, safety and protective gear, as well as the time spent walking between the locker room and work stations. The gear that the employees regularly changed into included flame-retardant pants and jacket, work gloves, steel-toe work boots,...
Read More
California Suit Seeks Overtime Pay for Donning and Removing Safety Gear
Date: February 6, 2013By: Wage and Hour Lawyers
A proposed class-action lawsuit in California is seeking overtime pay for employees who claim they were not paid for time spent putting on and taking off mandatory safety equipment, according to the Monterey County Herald. The plaintiff in the proposed suit, Jose L. Hernandez, a former Dole Food Co. employee in Salinas, CA, alleges that he and other workers are owed overtime compensation for the “time-consuming” process of putting on and later taking off safety...
Read More
Wal-Mart Set to Face another Wage and Hour Lawsuit
Date: January 11, 2013By: Overtime Lawyers
According to the Los Angeles Times, District Court Judge Christina Snyder has tentatively agreed to include Wal-Mart as the newest defendant in a class action lawsuit brought on by temporary workers at a Southern California warehouse. Wal-Mart, Schneider Logistics, and two staffing agencies allegedly provided poor working conditions and failed to pay minimum wage or overtime compensation to approximately 1,800 workers. The warehouse, operated by Schneider Logistics, receives...
Read More
Tipped Employees Requirements under the FLSA
Date: January 4, 2013By: Wage & hour Lawyers
One of the most confusing and oft-questioned areas of wage and hour law are the rights and requirements for employees who receive tips. The federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) sets standards for tipped employees, which are defined by employees who customarily and regularly receive more than $30 per month in tips. The FLSA tip provisions were updated in 2011, so it is important for both employees and employers to understand the specifications that apply to them.
There is often much confusion over what...
Read More
Georgia and Florida Locations of AutoCricket.com to Pay Back Wages
Date: December 21, 2012By: U.S. Overtime Lawyers
Two southeastern locations of AutoCricket.com have been ordered to pay 414 employees a total of $76,589 after an investigation into their practices of not paying employees for short rest breaks. The Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) found that short breaks were being deducted from the total hours worked by employees, a violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). This most recent result by the DOL is an excellent example of the kinds of widespread...
Read More
Denver McDonald's Franchisee Repays Thousands in Back Wages
Date: December 7, 2012By: U.S. Overtime Lawyers
A Colorado McDonald’s Corp. franchisee has repaid thousands in back wages to employees after the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) examined its wage and hour practices, the Denver Post is reporting. The results of an investigation by the USDOL’s Wage and Hour Division, according to the agency, discovered minimum-wage, record-keeping, and child-labor violations at each of its 16 Denver metro-area locations. The franchisee has repaid $58,227 in wages to 1,258...
Read More
Should I Be Compensated for My Rest Breaks?
Date: November 30, 2012By: U.S. Overtime Lawyers
Although many people consider compensable time only when they are actively performing duties for their employer, there are other realms in which workers may be entitled to compensation, including work-related transportation, e-mailing and other off-hour duties, and meal and rest breaks. As it is an oft-asked question: When should employees be compensated for rest and meal breaks?
The federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which sets national requirements for minimum wage, overtime pay, and recordkeeping, does not require employees be given meal or rest breaks. However, if...
Read More
No Obligation, Free Case Evaluation
Recent Wage and Hour Blog Posts
- DOLs Budget Reflects Future Emphasis on FLSA Enforcement 4/28/13
- House Committee Approves Legislation to Change Overtime, Comp Time 4/18/13
- Are Unpaid Internships the Next Big Wage and Hour Controversy? 3/12/13
- US Supreme Court to Decide What Changing Clothes Means Under FLSA 3/7/13
- California Suit Seeks Overtime Pay for Donning and Removing Safety Gear 2/6/13
- Wal-Mart Set to Face another Wage and Hour Lawsuit 1/11/13
- Tipped Employees Requirements under the FLSA 1/4/13
- Georgia and Florida Locations of AutoCricket.com to Pay Back Wages 12/21/12
- Denver McDonald's Franchisee Repays Thousands in Back Wages 12/7/12
- Should I Be Compensated for My Rest Breaks? 11/30/12
- U.S. DOL Recovers Over $700k for Misclassified Workers at Nissan Plant 11/26/12
- Work Stoppage Over Wage, Benefit Cuts Ends Hostess 11/16/12
- Natural Disasters FAQ: What EmployeesNeed To Know 11/7/12
- Walmart Hit with New Wage Suit as Employees Threaten Walkout 10/26/12
- Walmart Workers Threaten Black Friday Shut Down 10/12/12
- Cleaning Firm Violated Wage Laws, Suit Claims 9/28/12
- Family Dollar Agrees to Settle Overtime Lawsuit with Store Managers 9/21/12
- Olive Garden, LongHorn Workers File Overtime Suit 9/14/12
- U.S.T.A. Face Lawsuit Over Unfair Pay and Employment 9/7/12
- Overtime Lawsuits Continue to Rise Nationally 8/31/12
- Firefighters File Major Overtime Suit Against City of Pittsburgh 8/22/12
- Class Action Suit Against Fox Grows 8/17/12
- Officers Receive $104k after DOL Investigation 8/16/12
- Police Officers Settle Overtime Suit for $7 Million 8/3/12
- Minimum Wage Rallies Grow as Low-Wage Earners Demand Fair Pay 8/2/12
- DOL Cracks Down on Virginia Construction Industry 7/26/12
- Houston City Councilwoman Accused of Subtracting Employees Hours 7/20/12
- Northeast Farm Sued for FLSA Violations 7/13/12
- Department of Labor Signs Agreement to Protect Migrant Workers 7/11/12
- Rite Aid Settles Overtime Lawsuit for Over 20 Million 7/4/12
- Residential Caregivers to Get Deserved Back Pay after DOL Investigation 7/3/12
- Supreme Court Rules on Drug Company Sales Reps 6/29/12
- Farmers Push for Overtime Overhaul 6/28/12
- Georgia Technology Company Ordered to Pay Over 700k in Back Wages 6/23/12
- South Carolina Mexican Restaurant Latest Hit with FLSA Violation 6/21/12
- As RI Raises Minimum Wage, County Considers the Same 6/15/12
- Minnesota Landscaping Company Found with FLSA Violation 6/14/12
- U.S. DOL, LAWorks to Fight Employee Misclassification 6/6/12
- Nanny Sues Sharon Stone for Labor Violations 5/31/12
- Brookyln Neighborhood Routinely Cheats Nannies Out of Overtime, Group Says 5/23/12
- Wal-Mart Ordered to Pay Almost $5 Million in Back Wages 5/17/12
- Accounting Firm Hit with Labor Law Violations 5/11/12
- LI Gas Stations Ordered to Pay Over Half a Million for Labor Violations 5/10/12
- Wal-Mart's Bribery Scandal the Newest in a Long Line of Legal Troubles 5/8/12
- Lawsuit Filed Against Wal-Mart Subcontractor for Overtime Violation 5/4/12
- Alabama Legislature Votes to Count Overtime in Pensions 5/4/12
- U.S. Supreme Court Hears Arguments in Pharma Sales Reps Overtime Case 4/25/12
- Employees Getting Serious About Labor Law Violations 4/20/12
- Overtime Violations Found in Massachusettes Eateries 4/9/12
- Indian IT Giant Tata Faces Class Action Labor Suit 4/9/12
- Apple Supplier Promises Changes Following Labor Violations 4/3/12
- What Counts as Time Worked under the FLSA? 3/23/12
- Childcare Center Investigated for Overtime Violations 3/23/12
- San Francisco Restaurant Found Guilty of Labor Violations 3/16/12
- Labor Violations Result in Large Fines to Village Restaurant 3/13/12
- Alexander Wang Sued for Alleged Chinatown Sweatshop 3/5/12
- Debate Intensifies Over Home Care Worker Labor Changes 3/1/12
- FLSA Violations the Center of Suit Against Ohio Restaurant 2/21/12
- Unpaid Overtime Suit Filed for LEO Pharma Drug Reps 2/18/12
- Novartis Overtime Lawsuit Settles for 99 Million 2/14/12
- Wage Lawsuit Filed Over Fashion Internship 2/8/12
- Is After Hours Cell Phone, Email Usage Compensable Time? 2/6/12
- Child Labor, Wage Violations Lead to Fines for Piggly Wiggly 2/3/12
- Labor Law Violations Found at South Dakota Resort 1/27/12
- Hilton Reservations Worldwide Ordered to Pay Back Wages 1/24/12
- NLRB Disallows Employer Prevention of Class Actions 1/19/12
- Is All Volunteering Allowed to be for Free? 1/12/12
- Misclassification Case Granted Class Action Certification 1/6/12
- Minimum Wage to Increase in 8 States for 2012 12/30/11
- FLSA Violations Found in Investigation into Frederick, OK 12/27/11
- Obama Pushes Wage, OT Protections for Home Care Workers 12/20/11
- FLSA Violations Forces Restaurant Chain to Pay Back Wages 12/14/11
- Supreme Court Intervenes in Pharma Rep Overtime Lawsuit 12/7/11
- Widespread Wage Violations Found in NJ Gas Stations 11/24/11
- Overtime for IT Workers to be Removed? 11/16/11
- Overtime Violations Found in Two Mexican Restaurants 11/10/11
- Retaliation Settlement of $3.2 Million Awarded to Fired Cop 11/8/11
- States Pass Wage Theft Law, Find Enforcement Difficult 11/1/11
- Minimum Wage to Increase in Ten States 10/27/11
- Huddle House Franchise Hit with FLSA Violations 10/25/11
- New Jersey Changes Exemption Laws 10/20/11
- Town of Sherman Violated FLSA, Back Pay Awarded 10/18/11
- Overtime Lawsuit Filed Against Las Vegas Sands CEO 10/13/11
- Temporary Amnesty for Businesses Misclassifying Workers 10/6/11
- FAA Employees Awarded Back Pay for Furlough 10/4/11
- Tyson Settles with Workers for $32 Million 9/27/11
- Americans Unknowledgeable About FLSA, Survey Shows 9/20/11
- BellSouth Field Managers Can Proceed with Overtime Suit 9/13/11
- Department of Labor Pushing for New Child Labor Standards 9/9/11
- Barbecue Restaurant Chain Fined for FLSA Violations 9/6/11
- Disney Launches Investigation into Sweatshop Claims 8/30/11
- Chesterfield Policemen Place Overtime Suit on Hold 8/26/11
- Overtime Investigation Launched in Louisiana 8/23/11
- Salaried Employees May Still Be Entitled to Overtime 8/18/11
- Overtime Lawsuit Filed by Kansas City EMTs 8/16/11
- State vs. Federal Overtime Law 8/10/11
- Wal-Mart Ruling Doesn't Kill Class Actions 7/26/11
- Unemployed Still Discriminated Against, Study Says 7/20/11
- California Overtime Law Expanded to Non-Residents 7/22/11
- Checking E-mail After Hours Could Be Considered Overtime 7/7/11
- Overtime Damages Can Include Back Pay, Attorneys' Fees 7/5/11
- US Department of Labor Raises Concern Over Unpaid Internships 7/1/11
- Smartphone App to Track Work Hours Released by Department of Labor 6/28/11
- Misclassified Oil Workers Recover Back Wages 6/23/11
- Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Explained 6/21/11
- Jobs Typically Requiring Overtime Hours 6/16/11
- How to Calculate Overtime Pay 6/9/11
- Employee Misclassification: Have You Been Misclassified? 6/7/11
- Defining Hours Worked Under Overtime Law 5/31/11
- Administration Taking Tougher Approach To Enforcing Worker Rights, Officials Say 8/3/10
- Not getting paid overtime and dying for it? No way. 5/11/10
- Auditors crack down on 'independent contractors' 4/15/10
- Student Sacrifices: The Evils of Unpaid Internships 4/14/10
- FLSA Retalition Case Going to the Supreme Court 3/23/10
- Blah Blah Blog 3/15/10
- There is nothing to fear but fear itself 3/4/10
- Discrimination and Retaliation in the Workplace 2/25/10
- Miami-Dade County Wage Theft Ordinance 2/19/10
- Florida Top Spot for New Fair Labor Standards Act Lawsuits 2/11/10
- More than 40 Hours a week? That's Overtime! 2/9/10
- Obama's Administration Getting Serious About Worker Rights 2/2/10
- Unpaid Overtime: Killing McDonald's Managers 1/27/10
- Working Off The Clock: A Story 1/11/10
- Claims for Wages, Even If You Sign a Waiver 1/11/10
- Wage Theft on the Rise 12/21/09
- Overtime Offenders 12/16/09
- Wage and Hour Trends 12/12/09
- Welcome to the Wage and Hour Blog 12/1/09