Why You Need a Wage and Hour Lawyer 

Misclassifying Employees

A prevalent form of wage violations that hurt the victims—and our economy as a whole—is employee misclassification. This is when a worker who is an employee under law is incorrectly classified as something else, typically as an independent contractor.

Deliberately misclassifying an employee as an independent contractor has enormous negative consequences for the victim since federal and state labor laws are largely designed to protect workers who are classified as employees. Essentially, the victim is denied critical benefits and many labor law protections, such as minimum and overtime wages, unemployment insurance, and medical leave.

Hours Violations

Another method employers rely on to avoid paying workers is by violating hours regulations. Employees are entitled to compensation for every hour of work they perform. To get around this, employers may ask employees to work "off the clock," meaning outside regular working hours. Employees may be expected to work through mandated meal and break times, or are not paid for time spent during work-related training or traveling.

Not being paid the full wages you are due for work you performed not only creates an economic hardship, it is also unlawful.

Less commonly, an employee will receive a check paying them for fewer hours than they actually worked. Often this is due to a processing or banking error and will be quickly corrected. An employee should be suspicious, however, if this is a recurring issue, as it may be a sign that the employer is intentionally not paying the full amount owed.

Contact a Reputable Workers’ Rights Attorney

Although California wage laws are on your side, ensuring that justice is served is not always easy. Navigating the law, building cases against unscrupulous employers, and maximizing the compensation you are due all requires a depth of legal knowledge and skill. Gregory Thyberg has built a career on employment law, fighting for workers' rights on just about every front, including wage violation, wrongful termination, and discrimination cases.  

If you have fallen victim to illegal wage practices or if you have concerns about your specific situation, contact ThybergLaw online today. You can also call the office of Gregory Thyberg at (916) 204-9173 to schedule your no-obligation case review.