You have rights as an employee in Ohio under federal and state laws. This includes the right to be properly compensated for the hours that you work. If your employer has failed to pay you what you are rightfully owed, you have legal options. You may be eligible for financial compensation. Contact the Elyria wage and hour attorneys at Scott & Winters Law Firm, LLC for a free case consultation to discuss your rights.
Employees in Elyria have legal protections through Ohio State law as well as the Fair Labor Standards Act, which provides a federal minimum wage and sets a standard for overtime pay. The federal minimum wage is currently $7.25 per hour as of 2023. The minimum wage in Ohio is higher at $10.10. This means employers in Ohio must legally pay the state’s minimum wage. Tipped employees, however, can receive as little as $5.05 per hour.
Employers in Ohio must also provide adequate overtime. Overtime refers to any hour worked over 40 hours in a single work week. Unless an employee is exempt under state law, he or she legally must be paid one and one-half times his or her typical salary per overtime hour worked. State law does not require employers to provide lunch or rest breaks. However, if your employer requires you to work during an allotted break, you are entitled to pay for the time worked.
An employer may negligently violate a federal or state requirement through ignorance of the law or an unintentional accounting mistake. However, many employers in Ohio are guilty of knowingly and intentionally violating the law to save money on employee paychecks. Common examples of wage and hour violations in Elyria are:
These are not the only examples of potential wage and hour violations in Ohio. An employer could take advantage of you to reduce overhead costs in many ways. An Elyria wage and hour attorney can help you understand Ohio’s wage and hour laws and recognize how your employer might have violated them.
A wage and hour attorney can carefully investigate your case and let you know if there are signs of a legal violation. Then, your lawyer can review your options for seeking justice against an employer that wronged you, such as with an employment law claim. Your attorney will fight for fair financial compensation for your losses, which may include back pay and interest or penalties against your employer. You can trust your attorney to advocate for your rights and best interests while you focus on the future.
If you have reason to suspect your employer of paying you less than you deserve, misclassifying you, committing wage discrimination, stealing your tips or illegally docking your pay, contact a wage and hour attorney for assistance. Taking legal action against your employer could result in financial reimbursement for what you are owed. The lawyers at Scott & Winters Law Firm, LLC can help you understand and defend your rights as a worker in Elyria. Contact us today at (216) 912-2221 for a free initial case consultation.
