If you are scratching your head in disbelief because your paycheck does not reflect what you were promised, you are not alone. You should not be alone to make sense of what might be going on. Some employers take advantage of employees who may be afraid to ask questions for fear they will be fired or demoted.
Employers will deny they owe you money or tell you they did not authorize overtime or you should not have needed overtime to complete a project, so you are not entitled to it. These denials are illegal according to state and federal laws. Instead of trying to figure out what to do by yourself, learn the benefits of working with a Tampa wage and hour attorney at the Feldman Legal Group.
Current Minimum Wage
Although the federal minimum wage under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) has been $7.25 per hour since 2008, state employers cannot choose it over the state’s minimum wage of $12.00 as of September 30, 2023. Floridians voted to raise the state rate every year by $1.00 an hour until it reaches $15.00 an hour in 2026, which will be adjusted for inflation beginning in 2027. Non-managerial employees are entitled to time and a half for hours worked beyond 40 in any week. Employers can take a credit of up to $3.02 an hour for tipped employees, whose minimum cash wage is $8.98 per hour.
One of the benefits of working with a Tampa attorney at Feldman Legal Group is our ability to hold employers accountable for paying employees every penny they earn. Many employees give in to bullying managers or those who claim the money at issue is not owed, which is intimidating and stressful. We will not be intimidated. Mitchell Feldman and associates represent clients with complaints before the US Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division and in private lawsuits seeking back pay and other damages.
An Employment Lawyer has Experience with Complicated Laws
Employment law is a combination of federal and state statutes that our attorneys understand, including how they change over time. For example, if an employee is not aware that the state minimum wage increased, they may not even know to question an employer who fails to raise their pay. Employers who deny or withhold wages, overtime, tips, and bonuses, or demand kickbacks are hoping employees will not realize what they are doing is illegal. We notice because we know.
Our Attorneys Fight Hard for Justice
Our philosophy is that employees dedicate their efforts and substantial time to provide competent services to employers who profit from their contributions, and they should be paid every penny of their earnings. We recover:
- Overtime earned and not paid, or that the employer tries to trade for future time off
- Unpaid commissions and bonuses
- Tips and hourly rates that do not add up to the minimum wage
- Back wages
- Liquidated damages that amount to two times the back wages owed as a penalty against a cheating employer
- Legal fees under FLSA rules when an employee wins the case
The benefits of working with a Tampa wage and hour lawyer can be boiled down to getting paid what an employer owes without the stress and intimidation of trying to do it alone. Call the Feldman Legal Group to discuss a suspicion that an employer is unfairly withholding money owed.
Contact us to Understand the Benefits of Working with a Tampa Wage and Hour Attorney
You budget your paycheck and anticipate how much you will need for future purchases. Imagine your surprise when the money you were counting on being in your paycheck is not, and your boss bullies you into submission by telling you it is not owed or you do not deserve overtime.
Tap into the benefits of a Tampa wage and hour attorney standing up for you. Call Mitchell Feldman and the Feldman Legal Group now.
