Wage and hour violations are a common occurrence in Ohio. Data shows that the average worker in Ohio loses $2,800 every year due to minimum wage violations. This is not only contemptible, but blatantly illegal as well.
Yet many workers are hesitant to take legal action against their employers, as they are not aware of their rights and are not sure if wage and hour litigation Ohio is actually worth it.
Is a wage and hour claim in Ohio actually worth pursuing? Let us take a look.
Employers in Ohio are required to comply with state as well as federal labor laws to the fullest extent. If they fail to do so, and if you are deprived of wages and/or overtime pay as a result, you have the right to take legal action to recover the wages you are owed. Still, many workers are hesitant to pursue wage and hour litigation in Ohio due to the following reasons:
Many workers believe that the amount they are owed is too small to recover through legal action. This is a mistake, as you might not know how much you are owed unless you know the extent of your employer’s violations. Only a wage and hour attorney can assess your case and determine the value of your claim.
If it is a small amount, you can talk to your employer directly or file a complaint with the Ohio Department of Commerce or the US Department of Labor and recover the unpaid wages.
If, on the other hand, it is a substantial amount, wage and hour litigation Ohio is definitely worth pursuing, as you can not only recover the wages you are owed, but also recover an equal amount of money in interest or liquidated damages – along with your attorney’s fees and litigation costs.
This is the main reason why many workers are wary of pursuing wage and hour litigation in Ohio. They believe that any action they take against their employer might cost them their job.
The truth, however, is the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) explicitly states that employers are prohibited from taking any kind of retaliatory action against any employee who files a wage and hour claim or any other kind of complaint for that matter.
If your employer retaliates against you or directs another employee – who is in a managerial, administrative, or executive position – to retaliate against you, you can file a retaliation complaint with the help of your attorney and seek damages, which might include:
At Scott & Winters, we believe that employers who violate labor laws with impunity must be held accountable. If you are a victim of wage and hour violations, we can help you file an unpaid wages claim against your employer and recover the unpaid wages and other damages you are legally entitled to.
Our wage and hour attorneys are second to none in terms of their legal knowledge and have the trial experience and resources to take up your case – no matter how complicated you think it is.
