Beltsville, MD Wage and Hour Violation Attorneys

Reliable Wage Theft Claims Lawyers Representing Employees in Beltsville, Maryland

Employers hold a great deal of power over employees. As such, it is easy to feel helpless when your employer has deprived you of your hard-earned wages. However, as an employee in the state of Maryland, you have rights. With assistance from a Beltsville employment law attorney, you can fight for the payment that you deserve.

At Melehy & Associates LLC, we can help you advocate for your rights in the workplace. With our acute knowledge of the law, we can walk you through the process of filing a wage theft claim. We have a history of helping clients recover compensation for wage theft in past cases, so you can take comfort knowing that your case will be handled by a professional.

Looking for Evidence of Wage Theft

To get compensation for the theft of your wages, it is helpful to document how much was stolen from you. Oftentimes, looking at your pay stubs can indicate when the theft took place. If your pay stub does not show all of the hours you worked within that pay period, you could be paid for less than what you are actually owed. Similarly, frivolous deductions on your pay stub (like charges for your uniform or equipment) could be cited as evidence of wage theft.

Pay stubs are not the only evidence you can cite in a wage theft claim. Supplementary proof may include your own testimony, statements from your coworkers, text and email correspondence with your employer, and time cards. Our lawyers can document this evidence on your behalf to strengthen your case.

Overtime Pay and Exempt Workers

In Maryland, if you work more than 40 hours in a week, you may be entitled to overtime pay at a rate of 1.5 times your usual wages per each extra hour worked. Depending on your job, you may have to work more hours before you can earn overtime pay. Agricultural workers, for instance, must work 60 hours before they become eligible for overtime pay.

If your employer demands that you work off the clock, it could be an attempt to deprive you of overtime pay. Even if you are compensated for those extra hours, it still counts as wage theft if you are not paid at the overtime rate.

Note that managers are exempt from overtime pay. However, employers will sometimes misclassify employees as managers or assistant managers specifically to avoid paying them overtime. If you believe that your role has been misrepresented, our wage theft attorneys can review your case to see if you can get compensation.

Filing a Formal Complaint for Wage Theft

If you believe that your employer engaged in wage theft, the best thing you can do is contact a wage and hour attorney to evaluate your case. If you were the victim of wage theft, then your attorney can file a lawsuit on your behalf to recover up to three times the amount of the unpaid wages plus legal fees.

You only have three years from the date of your overdue payment to file a claim for wage theft. As such, it is important that you work with an attorney early on into the process.

Contact a Beltsville, MD Wage Theft Lawyer Today

Has your employer unjustly denied you of pay? If so, you should seek legal representation as soon as possible. Melehy & Associates LLC offers free case evaluations. Call our offices at 301-587-6364 or use our online contact form to reach out to one of our Beltsville employment law attorneys today.