You may work hard during every work shift to earn your pay. So, without any reasonable exceptions, you should receive every cent of your promised earnings. With that being said, please continue reading to learn what you can do if your employer does not fairly pay you and how an experienced Gloucester County wage and hour lawyer at The Vigilante Law Firm, P.C. can help you attain the wages that are rightfully yours.
In what ways can my employer unfairly pay me?
If your employer unfairly pays you, it means they are not properly compensating you for the work you contribute to their workplace. The act of unfair pay can be seen in any of the following examples:
- Your employer may not pay you the exact amount agreed upon in your employment contract.
- Your employer may not pay you the same amount as your counterpart of a different protected class.
- Your employer may not include compensation for your overtime work in your scheduled paychecks.
- Your employer may pay you below the state of New Jersey’s minimum wage rate (i.e., $15.13 per hour).
- Your employer may withhold some of your wages as retaliation for reporting their illegal conduct in the workplace.
Of note, your employer can only validly withhold funds from your paycheck in cases of legal garnishment, such as to pay off your court-ordered child support obligation. Or, unless you expressly permit them to, such as if there is an authorized deduction for the workplace’s health club membership fees, child care services, charitable contributions, etc.
What can I do if my employer does not fairly pay me?
If you believe your employer is unfairly or incompletely paying you, you must file a wage complaint with the New Jersey Wage and Hour Division and Contract Compliance. Soon after, your complaint may be assigned to a field investigator, handled by mail, or referred for a wage collection proceeding.
For one, a field investigator may schedule an appointment with your employer to review their financial records. What’s more, they may want to conduct interviews if deemed necessary. Ultimately, the investigator may send your employer an assessment letter, which may enforce any fees or penalties they now owe.
Through the mail, your employer may receive a copy of your complaint. They may then respond by paying you the rest you are entitled to or giving a valid explanation to the Division. For the latter, this may escalate into a wage collection proceeding. If the final ruling is favorable to you, you may be able to collect an award of up to $50,000.
Now that you have this background knowledge, your next step should be to employ one of the skilled New Jersey employment lawyers to represent you. So contact us at The Vigilante Law Firm, P.C.
