WAGES & COMPENSATION

Protecting the Paychecks of Michigan Workers

A few minutes here, an hour there, and missed breaks can add up quickly. Wage theft is not an inconvenience, it is illegal theft. If you are being pressured to work off the clock, misclassified as an independent contractor, or denied overtime pay, there are legal remedies available.

At Blanchard & Walker, we are strong advocates for employees and fight aggressively for the compensation you are owed. A fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work is the basic legal foundation of employment law. You can rely on us to inform you of your rights, answer your questions, and help you pursue the outcome you deserve.

Employee Rights Under the Fair Labor Standards Act

With only limited exceptions, the Fair Labor Standards Act requires every hour and every minute spent working must be paid. Illegal wage theft occurs in many ways, such as:

Not counting time waiting for or preparing for work
Deducting phantom “lunch breaks” for time when employees are actually working
Misclassifying employees as salary/exempt from overtime laws even though they don’t hold legitimate executive, professional, or administrative positions
Denying overtime pay by treating regular workers as “independent contractors” while they are employees under the law
Abusing “tip credit” exceptions for service workers while failing to satisfy the legal requirements
Taking tips to pay managers and other non-customarily tipped employees

If you have fallen victim to these practices or other forms of wage theft, you may have legal right to recover all of the lost compensation. In some cases, the law allows for recovery of penalties of twice the amount taken. Our experienced employment law attorneys have the tools to evaluate your wage claims under state and federal law and find the best path to recover all that has been taken.