Fort Lauderdale Injury Attorney on Overtime Pay
Americans are working harder than ever this year, especially in light of the difficult economic situation, says Fort Lauderdale injury lawyer Andrew Alitowski. Overtime pay is extremely important in these times. In addition to normal work and financial pressures, many workers are struggling with troublesome finances. In Florida, homes have been foreclosed upon at alarming rates and even more people are trying hard to keep that from happening in their own lives. Broward personal injury lawyer Alitowski also notes that a number of workers are facing decreased household income levels. For example, in a two-income household, where both adults are working, it can be very hard to get by if one person loses his or her job. With many workers facing that situation, in addition to the loss of employer-sponsored health care for some people, every dollar that you work for counts.
Most workers or employees are entitled to overtime pay. Overtime compensation comes into play when you work more than 40 hours per week, which is generally considered to be the maximum typical full-time work week. If you are paid hourly, you are probably entitled to overtime pay, but unfortunately, many businesses have not been paying it at the correct rates – or even at all. Overtime compensation is generally set at “time and a half,” or one and a half times your normal hourly rate. For example, if you work a normal 40 hour work week at $12 per hour, the extra five hours you put in over that would be paid at $18 per hour.
In some instances, a worker is not eligible for overtime pay. A supervisor or manager who is responsible for two or more full-time workers, and has other responsibilities such as hiring, will not usually be able to recover overtime compensation. Professionals are also exempt from overtime pay, which includes workers such as attorneys and doctors, whose profession requires extensive education. Certain administrative positions, including some workers who work with the finances of a business, may also be ineligible to recover overtime pay.
Unpaid wages are those which a worker or employee has earned, but the employer did not pay. If the employee worked a 50 hour week and was paid only for 40 hours, or did not receive additional wages above and beyond the normal hourly rate for the extra 10 hours, the employee may be able to recover his or her unpaid wages. An overtime compensation attorney can help you determine if you are eligible to recover unpaid wages.
