We all need to work to live, and it takes time to get a paycheck that is going to actually help you. When it comes to working overtime, it is important that you take the time to understand what type of laws apply to your state and to where you are working. If you feel that you are not getting fair pay, Tampa overtime pay lawyers at Feldman Legal Group can help you get the pay that you deserve.
What is Defined as Overtime?
When it comes to getting overtime pay it is helpful to first understand what overtime is and what your employer is required to pay you. Overtime is any time that you work over the normal 40 hours that we are expected to work each week. This applies only to the time frame that you are working in and the pay period that you are working in.
A great way to keep track of time is to keep track of your hours within the time frame or the pay period in which you are working. If your pay period runs from Sunday to Sunday and it is only a week, any time that you work over the time of 40 hours within that one-week period. If you get paid in a two week pay period, this also applies, and you need to keep track of the time that you are working within that two week pay period.
Overtime Laws in Florida
In the state of Florida you are required to be paid overtime if you work over 40 hours during the work week. You are required to be paid time and a half, or your hourly rate plus half of your hourly rate. This means if you get paid $12 an hour, for your overtime pay you would get $18. It is important to keep in mind however that if you are a salaried worker, you are not entitled to overtime pay and you are going to get the same paycheck every week no matter how much you work over your slotted time.
Employers are required to pay their employees overtime, there is no law that keeps these employers from being required to pay you overtime. There are some exemptions for federal workers, executives, computer works and even administrative employees but if you are an average worker, your employer is going to need to pay you overtime.
What to Do If Your Employer is Withholding Overtime Pay?
If you are dealing with an employer that does not want to pay you your overtime pay, it is important to take the time to get a lawyer that can help you with your case. Your employer does need to pay you an overtime wage if you are working overtime. They are required to by law. If you feel that they are not paying you a fair wage, a lawyer can help you argue your case and can help you to get the pay that you deserve.
Lawyers can help you to get your back pay and they can also help you to keep them from doing the same thing to other employees. In most cases, a lawyer is going to be able to help you fight for your pay and make sure that they are going to be held accountable for not paying the correct overtime wage. It is illegal not to pay overtime to hourly workers and if you feel that your employer is not paying what they should be, you do need to get a lawyer that can help hold them accountable.
In some cases, employers will work to cheat the system in some ways and to avoid having to pay out overtime. In many cases, if an employer is looking to avoid paying overtime, they will simply not work you those hours and they will try to keep you from working over your 40 hours a week. Now, overtime only applies to time that you are working over during the week and over your normal 40 hours. Your employer does not have to pay you extra pay if those hours are on the weekend unless they go over your 40 hours a week.
Taking the time to talk to a lawyer can help you to better understand what you are entitled to, what you should be doing to get your pay, and what you are entitled to do to protect your own interests. Overtime pay is something that many people depend on to make ends meet and to make sure that they are going to be able to pay their bills each month. Overtime pay is necessary, it is a right, and people that are dealing with overtime pay issues should get a lawyer to help get their overtime pay and get the money that they have earned.