Wage and Hour Lawyers in Chicago
Handling Wage Disputes for Clients in Illinois
If you work for an Illinois organization as a salaried or hourly worker, you should know your rights under the state and federal labor laws. As an employee, you’re entitled to certain benefits, including minimum wage, overtime pay, breaks during long workdays, and more. If your employer refuses to follow the employment laws that are supposed to apply to them, come to Atlas Law Center for legal advice.
Our lawyers have spent years fighting for clients to be treated fairly in the workplace, including being paid for their hard work and getting the job benefits they’re entitled to. If your employer does not appear to be following labor laws, call our Chicago law firm to find out what your legal rights are as an employee of an Illinois company.
What Are the Wage and Hour Laws in Illinois?
Certain state and federal laws are in place to protect workers from being financially taken advantage of by their employers. One such federal law is the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which created several wage and hour laws regarding minimum wage, overtime compensation, and other protective measures for employees. The Illinois Department of Labor enforces similar protections for employees throughout the state. It’s important to know what rights these state and federal laws give you so you can recognize when your employer ignores them.
First, state and federal laws require employers to pay you your earned wages, bonuses, and commissions while you’re employed there. This obligation does not stop after your employment ends, as your employer is obligated under the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act to pay you your final compensation. This includes your last paycheck, earned but unused vacation, and any earned bonuses or commissions.
Additionally, the Illinois Minimum Wage Law requires employers to pay employees at least minimum wage. Note that businesses in the Chicago area must pay the minimum wage for the city, which is slightly higher than the federal one. They must also pay tipped employees the specific minimum wage that’s in place for workers who depend on tips for much of their income.
According to state law, employees are entitled to get overtime pay at one and a half times their hourly rate when they work more than 40 hours in a week. They are also entitled to take meal breaks and rest breaks, as well as be paid for attending work-related meetings and any other off-the-clock duties their employer requires them to do.
In addition, employers are responsible for correctly classifying their workers. Sometimes they improperly classify them as exempt by calling them managers or independent contractors. This can prevent those employees from receiving the benefits and overtime they are entitled to. For example, an employee who is classified as a manager – but whose employee requires them to carry out non-managerial tasks – may be entitled to unpaid overtime compensation.
If you see any laws that your employer seems to have violated, you should contact Illinois labor attorneys to find out if you should seek compensation through the legal process. Violations of the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act, Fair Labor Standards Act, and other labor laws hurt employees like you and your coworkers, so it’s essential to hold your employer accountable.
What Are Some Common Wage and Hour Violations?
If you’ve noticed you’re missing money that you worked hard to earn, you should talk to a Chicago wage and hour lawyer about your legal options so you can recover the funds you’re entitled to. After all, you don’t want to let your employer get away with and even profit from taking advantage of their employees. Even if you think your employer merely made a mistake rather than purposely withholding your money, taking legal action might persuade them to be less careless in the future.
The following are some of the most common Illinois hour and wage violations made by employers:
- Refusal to pay minimum wage
- Denial of breaks during the workday
- Unlawful paycheck deductions
- Failure to issue an employee’s last paycheck
- Issuing paychecks late
- Misclassification of employees as independent contractors
- Failure to pay overtime compensation
- Denial of earned bonuses and commissions
- Failure to reimburse employees for business expenses
- Not keeping accurate track of hours worked by hourly workers
These issues can result in unpaid wages and poor working conditions for employees, as some end up working long hours without breaks and missing out on their rightful compensation. If you’re dealing with any of these violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act, Illinois Minimum Wage Law, or any other state and federal labor laws, contact us to speak with a wage and hour attorney eager to help with your case.
How Can You File a Legal Claim Against Your Employer in Illinois?
If you believe you’re owed back pay or other types of compensation, you should contact an experienced wage and hour attorney serving the Chicago area. As you wait to speak with a legal professional, you can prepare to initiate your claim by gathering evidence to support your complaint.
For example, if you’re accusing your employer of withholding your last paycheck and unused vacation time, you should obtain a copy of the company handbook that shows its policies on this. You should also be prepared to present any email or text communications showing your employer’s response to your request for payment.
Depending on your specific complaint, you should gather any affected pay stubs and company policies regarding overtime pay, allowable paycheck deductions, breaks, and other wage and hour matters. Your employment law attorney can help you file your wage dispute under the Illinois Wage and Payment Collection Act, followed by further legal action if necessary.
For most employees, the most favorable outcome of this type of case is generous compensation that makes up for dealing with late payments, unpaid wages, insufficient breaks, and other labor issues. If you want to discuss your case and find out what kind of results to expect, call our Chicago law firm to speak with caring lawyers.
How Can Wage and Hour Lawyers in Chicago Help You?
Whether your employer misclassified your employee status, forced you to dedicate time to work-related matters off-the-clock, or failed to pay you time-and-a-half when you worked more than 40 hours a week, you may be entitled to back pay and other legal remedies. Our lawyers would be happy to help you get the best possible outcome after guiding you through the complex legal process.
Keep in mind it’s essential to seek legal assistance as soon as possible, since there is a limited amount of time to pursue a lawsuit. To discuss your employer’s specific wage and hour law violations or to request more information from our compassionate lawyers, call us at 630-394-6350. We offer free and confidential consultations to all new clients and look forward to seeking justice on your behalf.
