Wage and hour protections are available at both state and federal levels and it may be possible to make a complaint through both. When a worker has been denied overtime pay or minimum wage, they may be able to recover wages they are owed by understanding how they can report wage and hour violations.
Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, employers are required to pay workers at least the federal minimum wage and overtime pay for employees who work over 40 hours in a week. When workers have been denied the wages they are due, they may be able to receive back pay for the wages they were wrongly denied through the complaint process.
A complaint to the Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor can help workers recover the wages they are owed. Workers who are reporting a wage and hour violation should be prepared to provide information in their complaint including: their name, address and telephone number; the name of their employer, including the name, address, telephone number and the type of business; their job title and a description of the type of work they perform; payment information, including how much they are paid, how they are paid and how often they are paid; a description of the alleged violations; and the dates of those violations.
Once a complaint has been filed, the WHD will review it, investigate the complaint and help the worker collect back wages. In addition to being protected from wage and hour violations, workers are also protected from retaliation if they file a complaint. It is essential for workers to be familiar with how to protect themselves in the workplace and understand wage and hour violations.