Wage Theft

Wage theft is a broad term that encompasses any illegal withholding of wages from an employee. This can include paying employees less than the minimum wage, withholding overtime pay, or failing to pay employees for all hours worked.

Wage theft is a problem that disproportionately affects low-wage workers, immigrant workers, and workers of color. These workers are often more vulnerable to exploitation and may be less likely to report wage theft due to fear of retaliation or deportation.

Wage theft has a devastating impact on workers and their families. It can lead to financial hardship, increased poverty and inequality, and damage to the economy as a whole.

There are a number of things that can be done to prevent wage theft, including strengthening labor laws, increasing enforcement of wage and hour laws, and educating workers about their rights.

If you are a victim of wage theft, you should contact your employer and demand your unpaid wages. You can also file a complaint with the Department of Labor or join a class action lawsuit against your employer.

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is a federal law that sets minimum wage, overtime pay, and recordkeeping requirements for employers. The FLSA also prohibits employers from discriminating against employees based on their race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

The minimum wage under the FLSA is $7.25 per hour. However, some states and localities have higher minimum wage rates.

Executives, administrators, professionals, and outside sales employees are exempt from the FLSA's minimum wage and overtime pay requirements. However, these employees must still be paid at least the minimum wage for all hours worked.

Overtime pay is time-and-a-half pay for hours worked over 40 in a workweek. However, some states and localities have different overtime pay requirements.

Employers must keep records of employees' names, addresses, occupations, and hours worked; employees' wages, overtime pay, and deductions; and employees' dates of hire and termination.

The penalties for violating the FLSA include fines, imprisonment, or both.

The Equal Pay Act (EPA) is a federal law that prohibits employers from discriminating against employees based on their sex in terms of wages. The EPA requires employers to provide equal pay for equal work regardless of sex.

The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act is an amendment to the EPA that overturned the Supreme Court's decision in Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. The Ledbetter decision had made it difficult for employees to sue for pay discrimination based on sex. The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act restored the right of employees to sue for pay discrimination based on sex regardless of when the discrimination occurred.

The Davis-Bacon Act is a federal law that requires contractors on federal construction projects to pay their employees prevailing wages. Prevailing wages are the wages that are paid to the majority of workers in a particular trade in a particular area.

The Walsh-Healey Public Contracts Act is a federal law that requires contractors on federal government contracts to pay their employees prevailing wages. Prevailing wages are the wages that are paid to the majority of workers in a particular trade in a particular area.