Wage theft could happen in a variety of ways. In some cases, individuals may not even be aware that some of their employers’ practices regarding compensation is illegal. Luckily, many parties are able to spot unfair treatment and take action in attempts to gain their rightful compensation. If Colorado residents feel that their wages may have been unjustly calculated, they may wish to consider filing a wage and hour claim.
A similar situation is currently taking place in another state. According to reports, the owner of a restaurant docked workers a “few dollars” every shift to cover the cost of potential broken glasses and dishes. However, this charge is a violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act as it is against labor law for employers to take business costs out of an employee’s wages. Many workers affected by the theft may never have even broken a dish.
The lawsuit was originally filed in 2014, and though the company has admitted to the FLSA violation, the owner’s legal representation stated that the claim pertaining to the amount of money owed is more than it should be. As a result, the litigation is continuing. A jury will be tasked with deciding whether the owner willfully violated labor law through his actions in order to determine the statute of limitations.
If individuals are unaware of certain labor laws, they may not be aware that docking pay for business expenses is illegal. Luckily in this case, individuals were able to take action in order to work toward gaining their unpaid compensation. If Colorado residents believe that they have been subjected to illegal compensation practices, they may wish to learn more about wage and hour claim options.
Source: postandcourier.com, “Jury to hear wage theft lawsuit against Hyman’s”, Hanna Raskin, July 15, 2016
