Your employer shorted your paycheck. You worked overtime without proper pay. You were forced to skip breaks or work off-the-clock. These are violations of federal and Illinois wage and hour laws that could entitle you to thousands in back pay, penalties, and damages.
An experienced Chicago wage and hour lawyer from Wanta Thome Employment Lawyers could help you fight for fair compensation and back pay. Whether you are dealing with unpaid wages, overtime violations, or other related issues, our dedicated employment attorneys are here to advocate for your rights and help you seek the justice you deserve.
Free case evaluation. No fees unless we win. Confidential consultation. Contact us today to get started.
Like many other states, Illinois has specific laws governing worker rights and proper wage and hour practices to protect employees from being exploited by their employers. These laws cover various concepts, such as minimum wage requirements, overtime pay, meal and rest breaks, and more.
Employees must be aware of their rights under these laws to ensure they are being fairly compensated for their work. Identifying a wage and hour violation can often be difficult, making it necessary to stay vigilant. A Chicago attorney can explain the laws relating to wages and hours during an initial consultation.
Workers face numerous wage and hour violations that illegally deprive them of earned compensation. Our attorneys can examine your situation to assess whether you have a claim.
One of the most frequent violations involves failing to pay overtime to non-exempt employees. Federal and state law require employers to pay time-and-a-half if an employee works more than 40 hours in a workweek. Employers often misclassify employees as exempt to avoid paying overtime. They may also require off-the-clock work before or after shifts, fail to count all hours worked when calculating overtime, or average hours across pay periods rather than calculating overtime weekly.
As a lawyer from Wanta Thome can further detail during an initial consultation, Chicago has its own minimum wage requirement that exceeds both state and federal levels and increases annually. Employers often violate wage laws to pay below the applicable minimum wage by:
If you believe your employer has violated minimum wage law, contact our attorneys as soon as possible.
Employers frequently misclassify employees as independent contractors to avoid paying benefits, overtime, and payroll taxes. True independent contractors control how, when, and where they work, while employees work under the employer’s direction and control. Misclassified workers frequently lose important protections and compensation that they are legally entitled to receive.
While the state does not require rest breaks for adult employees, it mandates meal breaks of at least 20 minutes for employees working seven-and-a-half-hour shifts. Violations occur when employers deny these meal breaks, require employees to work through breaks without compensation, or automatically deduct break time even when employees worked through their breaks.
Requiring employees to work off-the-clock is illegal. Common examples include mandatory pre-shift preparations without pay or post-shift cleanup or closing duties without compensation. In addition, employees may need to work through lunch while being automatically docked for this break time, answer emails or calls outside of scheduled hours without pay, or attend mandatory meetings or training without compensation.
Employers cannot make deductions that reduce overtime compensation or bring the pay of their employees below minimum wage. Illegal deductions include charging employees for uniforms, tools, or equipment, deducting for cash register shortages or broken equipment, requiring employees to pay business expenses, and taking unauthorized deductions without employee consent.
Every week you wait is money you’ll never recover. Illinois law doesn’t allow you to “wait and see” if your employer fixes the problem: the statute of limitations runs whether you file a claim or not.
Contact us today to schedule your initial case evaluation and learn how we can help you.
If you are facing wage and hour disputes, contact Wanta Thome for experienced legal representation. Our dedicated attorneys are here to help you fight for fair compensation and seek justice for your hard work. Contact our Chicago wage and hour lawyer to schedule a consultation and take the first step toward resolving your work issues. Do not let your employer take advantage of you. Let us help you fight for what you deserve.