Getting paid overtime wages can make having to work extra time a bit more appealing. However, there are cases in which employers may attempt to avoid paying time-and-a-half to workers who qualify. If this happens, workers could miss out on their earned wages, and it may be necessary to hold Michigan employers who violate the law accountable for that wage theft.
It was recently reported that 50 workers in another state will be receiving a portion of unpaid overtime wages that were recently recovered. Apparently, the employer would automatically deduct a one-hour lunch break from the workers’ wages even when the workers would work through their lunch or for at least a portion of their lunch. Additionally, the company did not comply with overtime requirements as they did not document or include bonuses and commissions in the rate of pay when workers exceeded 40 hours in a given workweek.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division, which recovered the following compensation:
- In total, over $106,000 in unpaid wages were recovered through the investigation.
- Of that total, over $53,000 was for back wages.
- The remaining amount, which was also more than $53,000, was additional compensation relating to damages for the 50 employees affected.
Unpaid overtime and other forms of wage theft can have a significant effect on workers’ financial situations. As a result, if Michigan workers believe that their employers have violated wage-related laws, they may wish to explore their suspicions and gain applicable evidence that could support their claims. Obtaining an assessment of their concerns from experienced employment law attorneys could help them determine their possible courses of action.