If you have to work through lunch or another meal or rest break at your job in Lorain, you are entitled to wages for these periods as hours worked. Unpaid meal and rest breaks are a common wage and hour violation in Ohio that can make you eligible for back pay and other types of financial compensation. If you believe you are a victim of unpaid meal and rest periods in Lorain, contact our unpaid meal & rest period attorneys at Scott & Winters Law Firm, LLC for assistance.
Under both state and federal law, employers are not legally allowed to dock a worker’s pay for a meal or rest break that involved work-related tasks. Normally, meal and rest periods for employees in Ohio do not lawfully have to be paid. The law does not require employers to offer paid breaks. If, however, the employee is required to remain working during a break – such as answering phones or entering data into a computer – the break becomes paid time worked. Failing to compensate a worker for this time is a legal violation.
According to federal law, an unpaid meal break generally must be at least 20 minutes long. Shorter breaks must be paid at the worker’s normal rate of pay. If your place of employment is understaffed or your employer is trying to keep labor costs down by unlawfully deducting meal or rest breaks from your pay when you had to perform work-related tasks through them, you may be entitled to financial compensation. This is especially common in busy work environments, such as the food and service industries.
If your employer is docking your pay for meal and rest breaks that you were required to work through, take action by reporting the issue to your manager. Support your case with documents such as employment records, pay stubs and time cards. If your employer does not remedy the issue and provide the compensation you are lawfully owed for unpaid meal or rest breaks, bring your case to the attorneys at Scott & Winters Law Firm, LLC for a free review.
A lawyer can help you understand your rights and legal options as an underpaid employee in Lorain. Your lawyer can conduct an investigation of your workplace and employment practices, for example, including issues with meal and rest break deductions. If appropriate, your lawyer can help you file an official complaint against your employer with the Ohio Department of Commerce. This department can investigate your employer and may take action to resolve the dispute on your behalf. Then, your unpaid meal and rest period lawyer can represent you during a wage and hour violation claim against your employer, if necessary.
You do not have to fight for your rights as a wronged worker in Lorain alone. Contact the attorneys at Scott & Winters Law Firm, LLC to arrange a free case consultation about your wage and hour violation, where you can receive personalized advice from an experienced employment attorney. If we believe you are entitled to financial compensation for unpaid meal and rest breaks, we can help you pursue the case results that you deserve. Call (216) 912-2221 today for more information.
