Every working person should be familiar with overtime laws in the United States. It’s all too common for employees to lose overtime pay, mostly because they don’t know the rules, which allows employers to get away with cheating employees out of hard-earned wages so that employers save money. Continue reading to learn more about the most important legislation governing overtime pay in the U.S.
Most Important Overtime Laws in the United States
Overtime laws in America originated with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) of 1938. This federal legislation requires employers to pay their workers more for the time they work beyond a regular work week of 40 hours. The FLSA applies to employees across the United States in all 50 states.
How much must employers pay for overtime? Employers must pay employees 1.5 times the employee’s regular rate of pay for all hours worked over 40 hours per week. This came about during the New Deal Era of the 1930s as a response to concerns over overworked laborers. The legislative solution was to define the 40-hour work week, specify who would be eligible for overtime (generally, hourly workers), and enforce it through the United States Department of Labor.
Are any employees exempt from overtime laws and thus do not legally need to be paid overtime? Yes, the FLSA exempts employees who earn at least a salary of $35,568 annually ($684 weekly) as long as they fulfill an administrative, professional, or administrative role. Most managers and supervisors are exempt from overtime pay (as long as they actually perform management duties) unless the employer has a separate policy for awarding it.
Other Overtime Labor Laws
Along with FLSA, many states have their own wage laws which require overtime payment. These overtime laws are in addition to the FLSA. The employer must comply with the FLSA or state law, whichever provides the employee with the highest pay including overtime. Alaska, California, Colorado, and Nevada have additional laws that govern overtime on not only a weekly but a daily basis as well.
California has a law for double-time, working over six days per week, and more than eight hours each day. A few states, like Minnesota, have more lenient laws for employers, requiring overtime pay only after 48 hours of work per week. however again, whenever there’s a difference in state overtime law versus the FLSA, employers must abide by whichever is more beneficial to employees.
Filing a Wage Claim for Unpaid Overtime
If you’ve suffered from lost overtime pay, then it may be time to file a wage claim against your employer. There are a few ways to do this, but we recommend contacting us for a quick, free review of your situation.
How An Employment Lawyer Can Help You
There are many ways an employment lawyer can help you navigate unpaid overtime.
- They can give you a free consultation to determine whether your case has a chance against your employer.
- Attorneys can help you comprehend the law and understand your rights as an employee.
- They can also speak to your employer on your behalf to reach a resolution without having to endure an entire courtroom battle.
- Finally, if necessary they help you prosecute your case in court.
These are the benefits you can expect when you work with Rowdy Meeks Legal Group LLC. We’ll help you finally rectify lost overtime wages.
Rowdy Meeks Legal Group LLC: Helping Enforce Overtime Laws in the United States for Your Benefit
Don’t allow your employer to play games with your paycheck. If your employer fails to pay overtime wages, then you have to hold them accountable for it. Rowdy Meeks Legal Group LLC represents employees across the United States in legal actions to recover unpaid overtime.
You don’t have to know every detail of the FLSA to gain justice for lost wages. You can get more information and assistance regarding overtime laws in the United States by contacting Rowdy Meeks Legal Group LLC.