Construction Law
6 Excuses Employers Make For Violating Wage and Hour Laws Part 2
Some employers deliberately withhold earnings from their workforce. Others do it accidentally. Regardless of their intentions, if an employer violates federal wage and hour laws, an employee has the right to contact a Tampa wage and hour attorney.
In the first part of this article, we covered employers that claim that they didn’t know the laws, that they don’t have the resources in place to account for employees paid time, or that the employee waived their rights by signing a contract. In this part, we will provide you with three more common excuses employers make that they claim justifies why they don’t properly compensate their employees.
4) It’s Common in the Industry
There are some industries out there that have a great deal of corruption, especially when it comes to violating wage and hour laws. For example, a restaurant owner may have a perspective that, in order to stay competitive, they need to mirror the management approach of rival restaurants by not paying workers overtime. This doesn’t justify the employer violating the law. Just because other businesses may be “getting away with it,” a violation of federal law is still a violation. Although businesses must always be mindful of their bottom line, they must also comply with federal wage and hour laws.
5) It’s Part of the Job
Many employers have a set of expectations for their hourly workers that are simply unreasonable in nature. Moreover, they are breaking the law in the process. If part of a server’s work responsibilities include setting up every morning and cleaning the entire restaurant every evening before they can go home, this is understandable. However, they should be compensated for every minute they are performing work tasks. If the server needs to arrive to work an hour before the restaurant opens, their shift begins at the time they arrive and ends when they leave.
6) Nobody Said Anything Before
Many employers will take their workforce’s silence as proof that what they are doing isn’t all that bad. All of a sudden, when an employee speaks up, they will act shocked by the accusation of owing unpaid wages. There are several reasons why employees may not make a complaint, including fear of losing their job. Just because no worker voiced their concerns in the past doesn’t mean that the employer wasn’t in the wrong before. It’s common for other workers to voice their complaints after one employee has already done so.
If you would like to speak with one of our Tampa wage and hour attorneys, please contact us today.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only. This information does not constitute legal advice, is not intended to constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as legal advice for your specific factual pattern or situation.