0 0 Blog News Do you think you are owed unpaid wages or didn’t get paid for working overtime? If you think you might be the victim of wage theft, it’s important to contact an attorney right away so they can help you understand your legal options. Call or text are wage theft attorney team at 908-352-2323. New Jersey already had some of the most comprehensive wage theft laws in the country. These laws are designed to protect employees from unscrupulous employers. Recent significant changes to these laws have increased protections for employees and made the penalties even harsher for employers. What is Wage Theft? Employers must pay their employees for all hours worked, as well as for any overtime or bonuses earned. In addition, employers are prohibited from making deductions from an employee’s wages without their permission, or from paying less than the minimum wage. Employers make frequent errors, whether deliberate or not, in calculating overtime payment including: Averaging hours over a two-week period. Not including all payments in calculating the overtime rate of pay. Not paying overtime for all hours worked over forty per week. Not including time spent preparing for work (donning and doffing). Requiring employees to work through unpaid meal breaks. Unpaid Wages – KNOW YOUR RIGHTS Employees have the right to dispute any deductions or unpaid wages they receive by filing a complaint with their state’s labor department. The Department will investigate the complaint. If they find evidence of wage theft, they may bring criminal charges against the employer. Additionally, employees have the right to file a civil lawsuit against their employer if they believe that they have been wrongfully denied payment. This action can be taken regardless of whether or not criminal charges were filed in connection with the case. Unpaid Wages – Types of Evidence In order to successfully pursue either criminal or civil legal action against an employer for wage theft, employees need to provide sufficient evidence that proves that their wages were stolen. This includes: timesheets or records showing when and how much work was done by an employee. bank statements that reflect unauthorized deductions. emails or other communication between an employee and employer related to payment. An attorney can help employees compile this evidence and can also represent them in court proceedings if needed. What If My Unpaid Wages Case is Successful? In New Jersey, if an employee is successful in a wage theft or wage and hour lawsuit, they may be rewarded with back pay, including overtime wages and regular wages. This can come in the form of unpaid wages they were unlawfully denied or withheld. In addition, it can include damages for emotional distress related to the situation. Employees are eligible to receive triple damages for unpaid wages (i.e., the unpaid wages, plus liquidated damages of 200%). The most recent law also adds protections against retaliation, increases potential fines, provides for jail time for repeat offenders, and allows for recovery of attorneys’ fees and costs. Unpaid Wages – Summary The bottom line is no one should ever have to worry about being paid fairly for hard work done on behalf of an employer – but unfortunately, too many people do fall victim to wage theft each year in New Jersey. Knowing your rights under NJ’s comprehensive wage theft laws is critical. Fortunately, you don’t have to go it alone if you believe you are a victim of wage theft in NJ. Seeking help from an experienced and knowledgeable attorney can make the process much simpler. A top New Jersey law firm will protect your rights throughout the proceedings. Attorneys understand the complex laws surrounding wage theft. With legal representation, employees can move forward with their cases and get rewarded fairly. If you believe you are owed money by your employer due to unpaid wages or unauthorized deductions made from your paycheck, contact an experienced attorney who specializes in wage and hour violations. The lawyer will look at your specific situation to determine what, if anything, counts as wage theft. The wage theft attorney will then explain the legal remedies available if you have been a victim, and how an experienced lawyer can assist you in getting justice. New Jersey’s Top Wage And Hour Violations, Personal Injury and Workers’ Compensation Law Firm injured at work? Did you suffer a back injury while working? We understand the latest laws when it comes to worker’s compensation. Call us today for a free consultation. Are there unpaid wages your employer owes you? Call our wage and hour violations law firm today? Did you suffer injuries in a car accident while you were working? Call us today at 908-352-2323. Do you prefer contacting our injury lawyers via email, then please click here. Truck driver injured while working? Call us today at 908-352-2323. If you prefer contacting our workers’ compensation injury lawyers via email, please click here. You can also text our workers’ comp team at 908-352-2323. Unpaid wages or failure to receive overtime? Call us right now at 908-352-2323. Our work injury lawyers serve clients throughout the entire state of New Jersey. This includes the cities of Newark, Elizabeth, Union, Short Hills, Millburn, Livingston , Camden, Trenton, New Brunswick and Jersey City. We cover Camden, Middlesex, Morris, Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Union, and Somerset counties. Our accident lawyers have offices in Elizabeth, Short Hills, throughout New Jersey and in New York City. We represent clients suffering with spinal cord injury, back injury, burn injury, broken bones and traumatic brain injury. If you are enduring physical pain and suffering, mental pain and suffering, permanent disability, disfigurement, lost wages, medical expenses or any other hardship resulting from a truck accident, car accident or pedestrian accident please contact us today for a free consultation. You can view some of our results here and check out reviews from our clients here. sources NJ employment laws 0 wage theftwage violations Related Posts $1.5 Million settlement of Wage & Hour Class Action $1.5 Million settlement of a class action against a major New Jersey food distributor alleging violation of New Jersey’ Wage and Hour laws and the failure to pay overtime to truck drivers and helpers. (Bryan H. Mintz, with co-counsel, Middlesex County, New Jersey 2016) 0 0 0 06 Jul 2016 Is 7-Eleven Taking a Big Gulp Out of Employee’s Checks? Today we are continuing to discuss the important topic of wage theft. As Elizabeth, New Jersey’s premier workers’ compensation law firm, our lawyers represent and speak with New Jersey workers on a daily basis. In these discussions with our clients about their work-related injuries, we are also continuing to hear about wage theft and other aspects of employment law such as sexual harassment, gender discrimination and workplace retaliation. 0 0 0 20 Apr 2016 Wage Theft and Overtime Class Actions Companies often fail to pay any overtime for more than 40 hours of work per week. The Fair Labor Standards Act and New York and New Jersey Hour Laws require that employers compensate their non-exempt employees for all hours worked in excess of forty (40) hours per week. Workers should be aware of their rights under these laws. You may be entitled to recover multiple years back wages that your employer has failed to pay. Employees are entitled to bring actions on behalf of their co-workers in court as class actions or collective actions. Companies often fail to properly pay overtime wages to many… 0 2 0 06 Aug 2015 J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS? We know what everyone is thinking, how can the Jets be in the news during the week of the Super Bowl? 0 0 0 01 Feb 2016 New Law ALERT – New Jersey “Temporary Workers Bill of Rights” Our temporary workers, regardless of their race or status, are key contributors to the workforce in our state, Signing the Temporary Workers’ Bill of Rights establishes necessary guidelines for temporary help service firms and third-party clients to ensure that these workers are afforded basic protections and treated with the dignity they deserve. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy after he signed into law A1474/S511, commonly referred to as the “Temporary Workers’ Bill of Rights.” This new legislation should be considered a major victory for New Jersey’s workforce, specifically its temporary workers. The law will take effect on August 5, 2023; however, certain provisions affecting newly hired employees and… 0 0 0 24 Mar 2023 Have You Been a Victim of Wage Theft? As many visitors to our website know, we blog about a wide variety of topics here at mglawfirm.net. We cover subjects ranging from motor vehicle accidents and the types of back injuries that they can cause to a sampling of Valentine’s Day lawsuits. From the serious danger of seat back failure that has parents everywhere alarmed to the not-so-serious pondering of Santa’s workers’ compensation concerns. From construction accidents and the 10 Most Dangerous Jobs in the U.S. to flying manhole covers in Elizabeth, New Jersey. 0 0 0 06 Apr 2016 Wal-Mart Wage Theft: Truck Drivers Awarded $54 Million Walmart & Wage Theft – Score One for the Little Guys! A federal jury ruled that Walmart intentionally failed to pay hundreds of truck drivers in California the minimum wage. The jury in this wage theft lawsuit awarded the workers $54 Million in damages. In addition to the $54 Million in damages awarded, Walmart might also be on the hook for additional penalties. The retail giant could wind up owing the truck drivers $150 Million, according to one of the wage theft lawyers representing the workers (Fresno Bee). The court ruled that Walmart violated the law when it did not pay its truck drivers for certain tasks. These… 0 0 0 29 Nov 2016 Leave a comment Cancel replyYou must be logged in to post a comment.
