Ocean City, MD Wage and Hour Violation Attorneys

Reliable Lawyers for Wage and Hour Violations Victims in Ocean City, Maryland

If your employer has denied you fair and just payment for your work, you deserve to be made whole. However, recovering compensation for wage theft requires an in-depth knowledge of the law and an understanding of your rights as an employee. An Ocean City wage and hour attorney can stand up for you, fighting for the fair compensation that you deserve.

When filing a wage theft claim, it helps to have an attorney at your side who can support you with legal knowledge. At Melehy & Associates LLC, we have successfully represented clients in past cases involving employment law disputes, securing settlements and verdicts through skilled arguments.

Knowing Your Rights in the Workplace

Staying informed of your rights can protect you against wage theft. If you are concerned about wage theft, you should ask yourself:

• Does my employment contract require me to work off the clock?
• Am I exempt from overtime pay?
• Am I being provided with breaks appropriate breaks for my hours?
• Do my pay stubs accurately reflect the hours I have worked?
• Am I being paid the state's minimum wage?

Many of these questions are addressed in the Fair Labor Standards Act, a federal law that provides guidelines for employers in various wage and hour concerns. If you are not sure about the protections available to you, the smartest thing you can do is to get in contact with an attorney. At Melehy & Associates LLC, we can provide you with counsel and legal advice to address your concerns in various employment law matters.

Misclassification of Employees

When you work more than a certain number of hours per week (40 hours for most employees), your employer may have to compensate you with overtime pay. Unfortunately, some employers abuse loopholes to avoid paying employees overtime. To accomplish this, employers will intentionally misclassify employees as independent contractors or managers to avoid having to pay overtime.

Independent contractors typically do not have to be paid a minimum wage or overtime. However, an independent contractor could be considered a direct employee in Maryland if the "economic reality" of the work relationship shows that the contractor relies on the employer for work.

You might also be classified as a manager as part of a promotion, which may come with an enticing pay increase. However, some managers are exempt from overtime pay, so you could end up earning less than your counterparts despite working more hours. In Maryland, you can only be considered an exempt manager if you oversee the activities of at least two employees and if you have meaningful input into promotions, firing, and hiring. But if you do not meet that criteria, you may not be a true manager.

If you have lost valuable wages due to a misclassification, our lawyers can help you pursue compensation for your losses.

How Can I Get Paid for My Lost Wages?

If you have a strong claim, the best way of obtaining your full measure of damages is to contact a wage and hour attorney and file a lawsuit.

Meet With an Ocean City, MD Wage and Hour Violation Lawyer

At Melehy & Associates LLC, we are passionate about upholding employee rights. To schedule a free case evaluation with one of our Ocean City wage theft attorneys today, you can call our offices at 301-587-6364 or reach out to us through our secure online contact form.