There are many employees who firmly believe that their employers have a strong influence on labor laws. But truth be told, there are many companies who violate wage and labor laws regularly. Ultimately, it is your duty to ensure that your rights are being respected. As shocking as it may sound but there are some businesses who deliberately withhold the earned wages just to save a buck or they might do it because of real prejudice. However, there are also some businesses that unintentionally violate the rights of their workers. But at the end of the day, unintentional or not, breaking the law is breaking the law and some kind of action should be taken against such companies to stop them from their unjust behavior.
6 Labor Laws Your Employer May Be Breaking
In some cases, labor law violations have become so common that they have gone from becoming infractions to permanent practice. Therefore, it’s better that you do your research regarding the company before you accept the job offer. There are also some recruitment agencies like cybersecurity consulting that takes this issue really seriously and recommends workers to only those organizations that have a good reputation. Let’s now look at the six labor laws that your employer may be breaking.
#1. Reluctant to Offer You Minimum Wage
There are some organizations that hesitate to pay their employees even the minimum wage. You should know that the minimum wage in the United States at the time of this writing is $7.25/hr. This figure might be higher in different states. Wage violations usually occur among those workers who are tipped. According to labor standards, employees who are able to make approximately $30/month in tips are eligible for a minimum cash wage of $2.13/hr. Also, remember that an employer cannot deduct more than $5.12 from an employee’s hourly wage if the individual is tipped often.
#2. Treating Independent Contractors Like Employees
Another violation that is quite common is employee misclassification. But what does it mean? Well, in the last few years, businesses have started to recruit independent contractors more frequently. However, they treat them like employees. They won’t let them work according to their own preference. Moreover, they will not pay them for any overtime work. Also, the companies will not offer any kind of benefits to them as well. The thing is that if the organization is treating you like an employee, then they should also provide you with all the benefits. And if they are not doing that then your rights are not being respected.
#3. Not Being Paid for Work Breaks
You may not know this but employees are entitled to work breaks. If your boss wants to work during a scheduled break then you should also be compensated for that. Unfortunately, not many companies pay employees for a break. In addition, you may be a bit surprised to know that shorter breaks that you take during your working hours are also compensable.
#4. Deducting Some Amount from Your Wage Illegally
Wage deductions are legal and some might surprise you. In some states, employers can deduct your wage in order to pay for the property damaged in the workplace, or for buying tools. However, keep in mind that these deductions can never lead you to a payout lower than the minimum wage. If that happens then this will be an illegal act and you would have all the rights to talk to your manager about it. Also, it is best if an employer lets you know about the wage deduction beforehand.
#5. Having Inaccurate Records
It is essential for a business to keep accurate records. After all, it helps in making investigations on different matters a lot easier. Moreover, it aids in maintaining a legally compliant business. Employers are responsible for keeping the right records of their employees that should highlight certain information such as wages paid. If there is going to be a change in the salary, then employers must inform their workers about it. They should also give you a week’s notice before making any changes to your pay.
#6. Preventing Employees from Sharing Particular Information
Employees need information in order to advocate for their best interests. This means that should have open communications about pay inequities and wages in the workplace. Employers shouldn’t prevent employees from sharing information related to salaries. There are some companies who discourage their workers to disclose such information but times are now changing and you can share your pay rates with fellow employees if you want to.
Conclusion
Minding the labor laws is important if one wants to have a workplace filled with satisfied employees. Yet, there are some employers who don’t pay heed to this. However, now that you know about these laws, you can always have a conversation with your employer if you think your rights are being compromised.
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