Thursday, May 29, 2008

Talking about Wage and Overtime Claims

It is generally accepted that people perform their jobs to earn decent compensation for their hard work. The wage issues can be considered as the main factor that motivates employees on whether to further their employment or to find better paying jobs.

Thus, it is the obligation of the employers to make sure that their employees are being paid properly unless they want to face lawsuits brought about by the violation of the existing wage and overtime laws.

The Federal and California government are aware of the need for law provisions that aim to protect the welfare of the employees, especially those who are earning basic salaries. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act or FLSA, covered workers should be entitled to a minimum wage not lesser than $5.85/hr as of July 24, 2007. This figure, however, is about to increase yearly - $6.55 this year to $7.25 next year.

On the other hand, the same act states that an employee’s overtime pay must not be lesser than one and a half times his regular rate. He may accumulate overtime hours after completing 40 hours of work per week.

There are other law provisions that cover wage and overtime, and such laws can be depended upon by any aggrieved employees. Yet, due to some complexities of these laws, it is advisable to seek expert representation. An employment lawyer who understands these law provisions can guide these employees on what proper steps to pursue to obtain justice.