Wage & Hour Claims

Pennsylvania Wage and Hour Attorneys  

 

Wage and hour laws exist to provide fair, minimum standards to ensure that workers are treated fairly and paid fairly for the hours that they work.  These protections apply to both public and private employees with a few important exceptions.

 

Types of Pennsylvania wage and hour issues

The Fair Labor Standards Act and other Federal and State law provide wage and hour protections to workers. The FLSA provides minimum standards that can be superseded by state law or Union collective bargaining agreements (CBAs):

• General wage and hour – Most workers in Pennsylvania are entitled to at least an $7.25 per hour minimum wage as well as time and a half for hours worked in over 40 hours per week.  
• Misclassified workers – There is an exception for salaried workers; they do not receive overtime for working late, coming in early, or working weekends.  Federal law, however, regulates who can be a salaried employee.  Many employers unlawfully designate employees as salaried when they cannot be so classified under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Such misclassification is unlawful and could entitle you to an award of money your employer failed to pay.
• Independent contractor –Employers sometimes misclassify people as independent contractors to avoid minimum wage, overtime, and other employment law requirements. You should consult with an attorney if you believe you have been misclassified.  You may be entitled to overtime payments and contribution toward your taxes.
• Unpaid Work – Employees are sometimes asked to perform work related tasks on their own time.  Examples include coming in early to prepare for work, putting on protective clothing necessary to perform work, or a police officer caring for a canine.  If you think you are not being paid for all of the hours you work, you should consult with an attorney.

The above is for informational purposes only.  If you would like to learn more about your rights as a worker, call our office.