Compensation in Overtime Lawsuits
Under the FLSA (Fair Labor Standards Act), the majority of American employees must be paid 1.5 times their normal hourly wages (time-and-a-half) for every hour they work over 40 hours in a given work week. Employees who have been illegally denied overtime pay may opt to file an overtime pay lawsuit in pursuit of the pay they were denied, and they may also be able to recover compensation for additional damages.
In successful overtime pay lawsuits, employees can recover back pay for every hour of overtime they worked for up to two years before the lawsuit’s filing. These employees are also eligible to recover overtime pay until the day their case is concluded.
In addition to unpaid overtime wages, plaintiffs in overtime lawsuits may also recover liquidated damages that match the amount of overtime wages for which they are compensated. This means that if an employee is able to recover $1,000 in unpaid overtime wages, he or she may also be awarded $1,000 in liquidated damages. However, if the employer named in the case is able to prove they reasonably believed they were adhering to overtime laws, they will likely not need to pay liquidated damages.
In some cases, employees denied overtime pay may also be able to recover compensation for punitive damages. This often happens when there is proof that the employer retaliated against the employee after he or she filed an overtime lawsuit claim.
Employers who are defendants in overtime pay lawsuits may also have to pay for attorney’s fees and litigation costs incurred by the plaintiff.
Contact an Overtime Lawsuit Attorney
Across the United States, employers use illegal tactics to deny their employees the overtime pay to which they are legally entitled. When this happens, the highly experienced overtime lawsuit attorneys at Phillips Dayes Law Firm can help cheated employees recover the money they are owed as well as compensation for additional damages. If you believe you were denied payment for overtime hours, you need a serious lawyer to help you stand up for your rights and recover the pay you are owed. To determine whether you have a valid overtime lawsuit claim, we encourage you to contact an overtime lawsuit attorney at our firm for a free legal consultation.