The Fair Labor Standards Act, or FLSA, was established to protect workers from unfair compensation practices and exploitation by business owners and managers. The specific laws within the FSLA ensure that employers cannot threaten workers who file complaints or bring civil action against their employers after being denied access to fair wages.
Suing For Unpaid Wages or Filing Complaints with the Department of Labor
Most employment contracts are "at-will" agreements, which means that employers can fire an employee or an employee can quit working for an employer at any time for almost any reason. But there are certain legal protections in place that prevent employers from dismissing their workers in acts of discrimination or retaliation.
In the state of Florida, the minimum legal hourly wage is $7.67 per hour. If your employer has not paid this amount for work you have completed, you are entitled to collect your unpaid wages, including wages for the overtime hours you worked. The legal minimum overtime wage in Florida is 1.5 times the regular rate or at least $11.51 per hour.
If you attempt to collect back wages by requesting your overtime, your employer may not retaliate by firing or suspending you, or threatening to fire or suspend you. If you're ready to start taking action to collect your unpaid wages, attorneys who file unpaid wage claims can help. Contact a Florida attorney with experience in these issues. In addition to collecting the back wages that are owed to you, you may also be entitled to damages if your employer is guilty of violating the laws of FLSA through fraud or deceit.
If you believe your employer or past employer owes you overtime wages, contact Remer, Georges-Pierre & Hoogerwoerd, PLLC Law Firm at (877) 757-2828 or via the online contact form for a consultation.
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