Walnut Creek Unpaid Hours Lawyer
Every employee deserves to be paid for the hours that they work, but there are times when an employer fails to pay their employees the wages that they are owed. If this situation arises, the worker can file an unpaid wage claim against their employer to compel payment, and the experienced Walnut Creek unpaid hours lawyers at Venardi Zurada, LLP are here to help. For assistance with an unpaid wage claim or other California employment law matter, call or contact our office to schedule an evaluation of your case.
Common Types of Unpaid Wage Claims
California wage and hour laws mandate many elements of employee wages, including minimum wage, overtime and double time rules, meal and rest breaks, and off the clock work. Some of the most common types of unpaid wage claims filed by employees in California include the following:
- Failure to pay municipal, county, or state minimum wage,
- Failure to pay overtime or double time,
- Failure to pay premiums for working during meal and rest breaks,
- Misclassification of employees as independent contractors,
- Misclassification of employees as exempt from wage and hour laws,
- Late payment of wages,
- Requiring work “off the clock,” and
- Failure to pay agreed upon hazard pay.
While unpaid wage claims can be brought by individual workers, in many cases this type of case affects many workers for the same employer. If true, multiple unpaid wage claims may be combined into a single class action lawsuit against an employer. Employers are not allowed to retaliate against employees for bringing an unpaid wage claim, and if they do the employee may be entitled to even more compensation in their case.
Damages for Unpaid Wage Claims
Damages available to employees are determined by the type of unpaid wage claim made against their employer. For late payment of wages, minimum wage claims, or overtime cases the employee may be entitled to back pay, interest on back wages, and attorneys’ fees for the case. Meal and rest break cases compensate employees at the regular rate of pay for every violation, and if it is discovered that an employer was engaging in these actions in bad faith, employees may be entitled to double damages in the case.
However, it is important to note that there is only a small window of time known as the statute of limitations in which an employee can bring an unpaid wage claim against their employer. In California, wage and hour lawsuits like unpaid wage claims must be filed within three years from the date of the last violation. To learn more about compensation available in your case, talk to an experienced unpaid wage claim attorney today.
Call or Contact Venardi Zurada, LLP
Do you believe that your employer owes you unpaid wages? If so, the knowledgeable employment law attorneys at Venardi Zurada, LLP are here to help. Call the office or contact the Walnut Creek unpaid wage lawyers today to schedule a consultation of your California employment case.