Bay Area residents may consider themselves fortunate to have found employment. In such uncertain economic times, finding a job can be a task in and of itself. When employees are so thankful to have a job, they may be afraid to speak up if they feel an employer has violated their rights. Fortunately, there are laws in place to protect employees, meant to prevent injustices such as wage and hour violations.
Recently, it was discovered that employees at a hotel were being mistreated. Though they worked long hours, they were not paid for overtime, and the paychecks of the employees in question did not even add up to the minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. The hotel employers tried to claim that the workers were paid a fair salary, rather than an hourly wage.
The U.S. Department of Labor launched an investigation into the matter. They found that the employees had been wronged and were owed back wages. The hotel must now pay back wages to at least 11 employees.
When a Bay Area employee suspects that he or she is being mistreated by an employer, he or she may want to seek justice but be unsure of how to begin. One thing that an employee can do is contact a knowledgeable attorney. An attorney can help a client bring his or her case to court, help ensure that his or her rights are protected, and assist in collecting any back wages he or she may be entitled to by law. Wage and hour violations are treated seriously by authorities, and hard-working people have a right to be paid the money they have rightfully earned.
