Has your employer terminated your job or previous position? If your financial security is at stake, there are a few aspects you might want to look for in your chosen counsel before committing to their services. In the sea of attorneys available, choices like The Law Offices of Sadaka Associates present an excellent resource and support structure in dealing with unpaid wages.
Here are a few recommendations for how to choose the right lawyer to handle your unpaid wages dispute.
What Are Unpaid Wages?
Unpaid wage is a term that signifies payment owed to you from an employer. When an employee works for a certain period or provides services to an employer, the law sees outright refusal to pay as unpaid wages. Any employee from any industry can go through this situation, including salaried, hourly, contract, or temporary employees.
Refusing to pay employees violates compensation laws set by the United States Department of Labor Standards Administration. These situations are subject to civil lawsuits and legal prosecutions by law enforcement.
When Can You File a Claim for Unpaid Wages?
There are some forms of unpaid wages or ‘wage theft’ that are obvious, like when your employer completely fails to pay for your service and duties. You have legal rights to file a claim to receive these wages. However, other unpaid wages are complex and need time or details for the employee to discover.
Common examples of unclear unpaid wages are:
- an employer ignoring overtime pay
- an employer deducting short breaks from hours worked
- failure to pay you for work done during lunch hours
- unpaid commission
- unpaid bonuses
- minimum wage violations
- paying you less than comparable coworkers
Overtime Pay
If you work overtime, you are entitled to payment at a higher rate than your standard wage. For example, federal law entitles employees who work more than forty hours a week to overtime pay for those additional hours. The United States typically sees the overtime rate as one-and-a-half of the regular rate.
Employees who work certain jobs do not earn overtime pay, including:
- Volunteers
- Computer specialists (programmers, system analysts, software engineers)
- Independent contractors
- Newspaper deliveries
- Recreational businesses and seasonal amusements (country fairs, resorts)
- Workers at small farms
- Babysitters and those who provide companionship to the elderly
Break Time
The Law Offices of Sadaka Associates will tell you that your right to payment on a break depends on several factors:
- What do you do with your time?
- How long is the break?
- What does the law say in the state where you work?
For example, some states require employers to provide paid lunch breaks (ten minutes for every four hours of work). If not, employers might not need to pay you unless:
- You work through your lunch break
- Your break is only twenty minutes (or less)
If you notice that your employer has not paid you or your colleagues the right wages, consult a reliable attorney like The Law Offices of Sadaka Associates to represent your case. Labor and wage-related cases are challenging; collaborating with qualified lawyers like ours will make it easier to determine whether your employer neglected their official duties.
How Can a Lawyer for Unpaid Wages Help?
An attorney for unpaid wages helps parties process legal issues involving employment law. For example, our employment law attorney handles several work-related issues, including:
- workforce reduction programs,
- workplace investigations,
- workplace harassment, and
- confidentiality agreements.
We can also discuss your options, provide a cost-benefit analysis, and walk you through the damages and subsequent legal recourse available.
Discuss Options
Employees may sue employers for a violation if they do not respect wage laws, but there are other options like filing a lawsuit for unpaid wages against the employer with the state Labor Department. The relevant department will hold a hearing to resolve the issue, which is faster and cheaper than filing a lengthy claim in court. However, this process does have some other disadvantages that our attorney would be happy to discuss with you.
Another option is to contact the employer and negotiate a fair settlement. The employer would then be able to review the options and help you make an informed decision as an employee. Talk to The Law Offices of Sadaka Associates—we offer support in these proceedings and advise you on legal matters.
Benefit and Cost Analysis
An experienced lawyer like ours can provide a thorough evaluation of your situation so that you can assess the changes of receiving what you want. For example, a cost-benefit analysis will show what you might recover if you file a lawsuit and the fees you have to pay to pursue the claim.
Damages
If your employer owes you wages, they may also need to pay you damages after a settlement or an outright win in court. Employment damages fall into a few categories, including unpaid wages, interest, and penalties.
- Unpaid wages cover what an employer failed to pay (overtime, breaks, bonuses, and more)
- Interest follows the state laws and may also include liquidated damages or money set in advance by the law. For instance, if your employer refused to pay you willfully, they might have to pay you double under liquidated damages.
- Penalties under some state laws require employers to pay fees due to unpaid wages.
Tips to Find an Experienced Lawyer for Unpaid Wages
How can you find a suitable attorney to handle your claim for unpaid wages? You need someone like The Law Offices of Sadaka Associates, a proven, professional, and capable partner who can help you move forward.
Choose Experience
An accomplished attorney provides proof of experience across various cases, from simple to complex unpaid wages disputes. If you are serious about your case, your attorney should invest that same time and energy into your case.
Speak in Person
The attorney you choose will represent you in court and state your case publicly. Before you choose a lawyer for an unpaid wages angle, schedule an in-person consultation to talk about your issues and options. It is also an excellent opportunity to get to know us better and ask the following questions:
- How long have you been practicing employment law?
- Have you handled similar claims? How many went to trial?
- Who will prepare me for a trial or deposition?
- When do I receive updates about my case?
- How quickly do you respond to messages or calls?
- What are the weaknesses and strengths of my case? Can you share a quick overview?
- What are the different legal approaches you can help me take?
- What are your attorney’s fees?
Seek a Specialist
You need to approach an employment attorney, not just a general lawyer. For example, The Law Offices of Sadaka Associates deal with many unpaid wages cases, and we know the national and state employment laws intimately. You can be sure that we will not miss any key information or drop the ball.
Inspect The Firm for Ethics Violations
A potential legal firm for unpaid wages should not put your case in jeopardy with ethics violations accusations against them. You can find this information in the regulatory database, as well as in public records for disciplinary sanctions.
Gather Trustworthy Recommendations
Have your family members or friends dealt with unpaid wages? Ask them to recommend a reliable lawyer in your city like The Law Offices of Sadaka Associates. If friends have a similar experience, you could ask whether their choice of attorney ended well and whether they had a successful claim.
Ignore the Attorney’s Rates
Rates should not be a deciding factor in choosing a lawyer. An attorney who charges low rates may not be able to handle your case due to inexperience or lack of resources. An expensive lawyer could also waste your money and time, providing you with an average outcome that’s not worth the price.
There are no rules in the industry, and you should not form decisions on these rates. Instead, go with a firm like The Law Offices of Sadaka Associates that charges fair rates and provides hard-working services. A reliable lawyer like ours will take the time to understand what’s necessary for your case to succeed.
Consult a Skilled Employment Lawyer Today
Do you have a claim for unlawful pay practices or unpaid wages? Do you want to discuss your options with a skilled and experienced team that knows the ropes? Contact The Law Offices of Sadaka Associates today for legal support and comprehensive legal services.
Our team represents years of sophisticated knowledge of both state and federal legal frameworks. We will help you to determine whether your employer owes you unpaid wages and how likely your claim is to succeed. You have the right to file a claim against your employer for not respecting their duties under wage laws.
Count on us to provide comprehensive and professional representation that upholds your legal rights and seeks to recover unpaid wages from your employer. Call 1-800-810-3457 today to schedule your free consultation with The Law Offices of Sadaka Associates.
