As of January 1 of this year, the minimum wage in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is now $10.00 per hour. All employers who have employees subject to the minimum wage are required to hang the wage and hour poster, which was updated in December of 2015, in the workplace, in visible locations such as lunch rooms, lobbies, human resources offices, or anywhere else that employees gather regularly. Wage and hour law attorneys and employment lawyers can advise and consult with workers who have been denied overtime, are being paid less than the minimum wage, are required to work unpaid hours or have been misclassified as exempt. These firms can also provide legal advice to businesses that want to ensure they are in compliance with state laws and the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) as well as those that have been accused of wage and hour violations.
The Massachusetts Weekly Payment of Wages Law (the “Wage Act”) is the single most important protection for employees’ wages in Massachusetts. If your current or former employer has failed to pay you earned wages, including commissions and non-discretionary bonuses, and earned vacation, you can sue for three times the unpaid amount and your attorneys’ fees. This is true even if you’ve been wrongfully classified as an independent contractor, which is quite common in Massachusetts.
In western Massachusetts, Daniel and Fontaine LLC is just one example of a Wage & Hour Attorney in Greenfield MA. When an employee believes there is a discrepancy between what they’ve been paid and what they are owed, or that payment of wages isn’t being properly handled in their workplace, they are best served contacting a wage and hour attorney. These firms will protect their rights, and work to resolve any wage-and-hour disputes.
Workers should be fairly compensated for their work. This includes many different areas of employment in which there are often disputes; such as overtime, employee meal breaks, collecting pay after being terminated, and docked pay. Other issues that have arisen include payment of commissions and bonuses, as well as payment of tips. Often times there are disparities between the employee and employer, and these are best handled by seeking the services of a wage and hour attorney. You can also visit them on Twitter for more information.
