The role of Wage Theft Lawyer

Purnabasi Patnaik
3 min readApr 28, 2021

Wage Theft Lawyer

What is wage Theft ?

Wage Theft is a major issue now a days and has been a biggest problem for all over world. Basically, wage theft occurs , when an employer does not pay an employee for his work ,which he is actually deserved for it. It is also considered as a crime when an employer intentionally neglects to pay an employee wages by breaking the law.

Every year, it is reported that around 50$ billion dollars are underpaid by companies, which can take as much as 10% of an annual earnings of a worker.

Different forms of Wage theft

- less paying than the actual minimum wage amount

When a work is assigned to a worker, then the wage is decided upon its working per hours. In countries like America, there has been a fixed charges per hour that is generally $9.8 per hour for a large and $8 per hour for small employer. But, it varies from companies to companies. But after the completion of that particular work, if the employer denies or fails to pay that particular worker the prequisite amount as wages , then it is considered to be Wagetheft.

- Not paying on time

When a worker toil hard for long hours and expected to get his/her wages on time, but an employer fails to provide that or deny by baseless reasons and if it exceeds even after 48 hours, then , it is also classified as Wagetheft.

-Not paying the final wages

This is so harsh that in our world , there are some disgusting employers , who cut out the wages of workers, who constantly works for a long hour, do not care about their wages and they do not even pay a single penny when a worker is fired or leave for any reason. This is another kind of wage thefts.

- Unwanted deduction from paychecks

When an employer hold back overtime rates,some benefits like commissions or any seasonal bonus, then it includes wagetheft. It is arbitrary choice of some employers,who keeps such unauthorized deductions from their wages as a punishment like stealing or damaging the employer’s property. This is illegal unless worker has any valid agreement for such acts,then he has to accept that deduction.

- worker discrimination

Discrimination in workplace is disgusting and employers are responsible for it .Because they treat their workers in a partially manner. Many workers face such discrimination in their work place and this is the reason some workers receive less amount than their final wages and become victim of Wagetheft .

The law based on wage Theft

At the federal level , there are some acts that are implemented based on this Wage Theft.

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)

This law specifies to all employees that if any worker complain of such Wage Theft , then as a punishment he would sent back to prison for a long time with upto 10,000$ penalty.

The Wage Theft Prevention Act (WTPA)

This particular law is not recognised by all states of America , but it causes to mostly private sectors to provide their workers with a written notice, where there are specified the informations like pay rates .

Stop Wage Theft.

Is there any hope for claiming back wages ?

If you feel that you have been victim of Wagetheft, then you should immediately consult any local WageTheft lawyer and discuss your problems with them such that it will be ideal way to sustain your rights and as a local lawyer , he will be ready to help you in this matter by following legal lessons and guide you in each step of this process to give back you justice .

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