call 24/7 | TOLL FREE | 1-888-449-2068
Computer and IT
Service Technicians
Independent Contractors
Cable Installers
Sales Representatives
Tipped Employees
Nurses/Healthcare
Paralegal
Oil, Gas, Field Workers
Call Center Workers
Banking Industry
Retail Store Employees
Accountants & Auditors
Bookkeepers & Clerks
Other Workers We HelpEMPLOYMENT LAW BLOG 
Computer and IT
- Is your boss cashing in on this overtime scheme?
- Senate states FLSA outdated: Wants new wage and hour updates for computer professionals.
- Advertising sales employees denied millions in lost wages nationwide - Yellowpages publisher allegedly failed to follow FLSA
Service Technicians
- Employment lawyers investigate Just Brakes for pay practices
- Is your lawn care company breaking this federal law? TruGreen employees denied proper pay should contact our wage lawyers.
- Tips For Protecting Your Paycheck as a Houston Plumber
Independent Contractors
- How Misclassification Can Hurt a Houston Painter’s Paycheck
- Top Signs You’re a Misclassified Houston Personal Trainer
- Top Two Ways Misclassification Can Hurt a Houston Lawn Care Worker’s Paycheck
Cable Installers
- Top 4 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Lawyer for Your Fair Wage Claim
- Cable installers entitled to compensation if working through lunch
- Cable Installers Can Protect Paychecks by Documenting Everything
Sales Representatives
- Novartis pays $99 million to settle federal FLSA lawsuit
- Top Five Things a Car Salesman Can Do to Protect His Paycheck
- Supreme Court to decide pharma overtime fate for outside sales exemption
Tipped Employees
- Panda Garden kitchen employees file wage and hour lawsuit
- New York tipped employees file FLSA lawsuit against high profile eatery
- Does your employer adjust your clock-in time?
Nurses/Healthcare
- Healthcare worker files FLSA suit against Texas home care company
- White House proposes FLSA coverage for In-Home Care workers
- California wage and hour case makes history. $17 million sought in record Minimum Wage case
Paralegal
- Common Ways Houston Paralegals Miss Out on Overtime Pay
- Top Three Ways to Avoid FLSA Misclassification as a Paralegal in Houston
- Top Five Questions Every Paralegal Should Ask When Receiving a Bonus
Oil, Gas, Field Workers
- Hurricane cleanup crews and oil workers overtime pay
- Oil company Kinder Morgan in wage lawsuit
- Top Questions That Every Oil and Gas Industry Worker Should Ask
Call Center Workers
Banking Industry
- Loan officers and overtime pay under the FLSA
- Insurance claims adjusters entitled to overtime pay; "administrative exemption" does not apply.
- Securities brokers file FLSA lawsuit against RBC Capital Markets - $5 million settlement offer
Retail Store Employees
- Forever 21 made wage and hour faux pas with employee pay
- Wage and hour red flags for New Jersey BP gas stations
- Can you survive on $3 an hour? Supermarket employees get FLSA wake-up call.
Bookkeepers & Clerks
Other Workers We Help
- California farm contractor fined for FLSA and child labor violations
- State governments and public agencies still subject to FLSA regulations
- Learn How to Protect Your Rights as a Temporary Worker in Houston
General
Active Cases
- Seasonal Migrant Workers to Receive $1.5 Million in Back Wages1/23/2012
- New FLSA Rule Could Affect Houston Mothers at Work1/22/2012
- New Proposal Seeks to Cover Home Health Care Aides under FLSA1/21/2012
- Austin’s Iron Cactus under wage investigation by Texas employment lawyers1/19/2012
- Supreme Court to Decide Paychecks of Houston Pharmaceutical Sales Reps1/10/2012
- Restaurant Pays $275,700 in Back Wages to Houston Workers, More Suits Filed12/31/2011
Learning Center
Computer and IT
Service Technicians
- I’m a Houston Service Technician Misclassified as an Independent Contractor. What Now?
- How the Fluctuating Work Week, or Chinese overtime, undermines your pay scale.
- Active Case: Technical Support Employees in Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, and Texas hire Kennedy Hodges to represent their overtime claim against Konica Minolta. Read the original complaint.
Independent Contractors
- Independent Houston Home Painters and Earning Fair Pay
- Houston Personal Trainers: Independent Contractor or Employee?
- Receiving a Fair Paycheck as an Independently Contracted Houston Lawn Care Provider
Cable Installers
- Cable Installers Entitled to Overtime Pay at Time and a Half
- Common Reasons Why Satellite and Cable Installers Are Not Paid Fair Wages
- Piece Rate Pay Can Cause Cable Installers to Miss Out on Overtime
Tipped Employees
- How to protect your paycheck as a tipped employee
- Nit Noi employees in Houston and the Woodlands can opt-in to join wage lawsuit
- Former Nit Noi employees in Houston and the Woodlands can opt to join lawsuit: Notice to join filed for the worker’s group seeking back wages for overtime and minimum wage
Nurses/Healthcare
- FLSA judge gives popular rule the boot;
- Paramedics and EMTs:
- Examination Management Services, Inc. (EMSI) pay practice violate FLSA, claims overtime lawsuit.
Paralegal
- Why Many Houston Paralegals are Misclassified under the FLSA
- The Holiday Bonus and Paralegals – Should a Holiday Bonus Affect Overtime?
- Earning Bonuses as a Paralegal – The Discretionary Bonus and Overtime Pay
Oil, Gas, Field Workers
- Oil workers entitled to overtime – regardless of what employer says
- The "Seaman Exemption" under the FLSA; Find out why dock and shipyard workers such as Tankers may be robbed of thousands of dollars in overtime under the seaman exemption.
Call Center Workers
Banking Industry
- CPAs, financial analysts, business consultants and business analysts have right to join overtime lawsuit against staffing agency Modis, Inc. and Adecco Solutions, Inc. Call 713-523-0001 to join or for more information.
- Overtime lawsuit against Modis, Inc. and Adecco Solutions Inc. - Financial analysts, CPA's, business consultants and analysts owed overtime: Recover back wages and overtime pay. Fill out the consent form and e-mail to gkennedy@kennedyhodges.com
Retail Store Employees
Accountants & Auditors
Other Workers We Help
- Receiving fair wages as a temporary Houston assembly line worker?
- Car dealership porters –
- Should I be paid for overtime hours even if the time wasn't "authorized?"
General
- The 15 most popular jobs in America:
- New ruling says you can sue your employer, even if you signed an
- Do you need an employment lawyer?
SEARCH THE SITE
Does your employer owe you money?
Let us help you recover your hard-earned wages.
If your employer is depriving you of your wages, you may feel angry, frustrated, and hopeless. You may feel like you are stuck in a position you can't leave, but don't know what to do or where to turn. You may not know what your options are - or if you even have any options. You want to get paid, but don't know who to talk to or who can help. No matter what your situation may be, there is a way out. The Texas wage dispute lawyers at Kennedy Hodges have successfully helped thousands of employees with cases just like yours.
If your employer is cheating you out of wages, order your FREE copy of The 10 Biggest Mistakes That Can Hurt Your Wage & Overtime Claim, written by the employment lawyers at Kennedy Hodges. This book contains the information your employer doesn't want you to know!
Don't wait to make your claim: Tomorrow may be too late!
Lawmakers are discussing minimum wage and overtime law reform and changes to the Fair Labor Standards Act - Act now to claim any overtime or back wages you are eligible for before the government makes any changes to the federal labor laws! Send us a confidential contact form to start on your case before wage and hour laws are reformed!
3 Quick Tips for Wage and Overtime Claims:
Tip 1: How to Double Your Wage Claim by using "liquidated damages" under the Fair Labor Standards Act
Tip 2: How to Get Your Employer to Pay for Your Attorney's Fees under the Fair Labor Standards Act
Tip 3: How to add an additional year to your wage and overtime claim under the Fair Labor Standards Act
16 Ways to know if you've been misclassified as an Independent Contractor.
Each year in the United States, employers deprive workers of billions of dollars in wages to which they are lawfully entitled. Sometimes this is not intentional, but many times it is. Either way, if you are being cheated out of your wages, or if you just feel like something doesn't add up, contact a Texas unpaid wages lawyer at Kennedy Hodges for a free consultation. We will sit down with you and review your pay stubs and wage information for free to make sure you're receiving the wages to which you are eligible.
Fear of Being Fired
I know I'm owed money, but will I get fired if I do anything about it?
That's a fair question that we often hear. Fortunately, the law makes it illegal for any employer to retaliate against an employee who demands their fair pay under the law. Companies are subject to both criminal and civil penalties for taking any action against an employee. Judges enforcing these laws come down hard on employers who retaliate against employees. You are armed with this hammer because the wage and overtime laws recognize there is an imbalance of power between employers and employees - that's why the law encourages you to speak up without fear of reprisal. If you are concerned about retaliation, your fears should be put to rest after reviewing the information on this site. We have represented hundreds of employees in wage disputes against their employers without any action taken against them.
Thinking about filing a complaint through the Department of Labor? Think Again.
Think twice before heading to the Department of Labor (DOL) for help. If your employer is violating the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and depriving you of the wages to which you are lawfully eligible, the Department of Labor has no motive to get you proper compensation. We currently represent employees who filed with the DOL, but received an offer that was unacceptable.
The WHD fails at enforcing FLSA regulations and helping the very people it was designed to protect and serve. If you happen to be one of the lucky few who make it through this agency, don't expect to receive the money you are owed. The WHD has no profit motive, and, therefore, has a record for settling cases for pennies on the dollar. We've seen it over and over again. A recent investigation, performed by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), exposed the ineffectiveness of the DOL's Wage and Hour Division (WHD). In the investigation, the GAO states that the WHD mishandled nine out of ten complaints by failing to return workers' calls, not investigating claims for months, dropping claims when employers said they couldn't or didn't want to pay, or by simply never filing the claims.
The WHD fails at enforcing FLSA regulations and helping the very people it was designed to protect and serve. If you happen to be one of the lucky few who make it through this agency, don't expect to receive the money you are owed. The WHD has no profit motive, and, therefore, has a record for settling cases for pennies on the dollar. We've seen it over and over again. A recent investigation, performed by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), exposed the ineffectiveness of the DOL's Wage and Hour Division (WHD). In the investigation, the GAO states that the WHD mishandled nine out of ten complaints by failing to return workers' calls, not investigating claims for months, dropping claims when employers said they couldn't or didn't want to pay, or by simply never filing the claims.
Kennedy Hodges: Representing the Underdog
The Texas labor lawyers at Kennedy Hodges never represent employers. Born and raised in working class families, we know what it's like to earn your own keep. We don't agree with corporate titans who treat their employees like expendable commodities. We fight for the underdog, for the employee, for YOU - the worker who has been wrongfully cheated out of your wages.
While other Texas payroll attorneys may want you to hire them and sign some paperwork before they give you any information, our philosophy is drastically different. We have a website filled with information to help you and answer your questions. Our FAQ page can help answer many questions we receive about wage and overtime claims. And if you don't find what you're looking for on here, we urge you to give us a call at 888-449-2068. We will talk to you about your situation, answer your questions, let you know whether we think you even need an attorney and help you figure out where to go from there - all without ever hiring us.
We represent all workers, including workers with questions about their immigration status, who have suffered a wage violation, and who have previously filed with the DOL. We aggressively litigate claims in federal court against small, medium, and large companies who violate the FLSA. We fight to obtain compensation for our clients who work in various jobs and industries, including:
While other Texas payroll attorneys may want you to hire them and sign some paperwork before they give you any information, our philosophy is drastically different. We have a website filled with information to help you and answer your questions. Our FAQ page can help answer many questions we receive about wage and overtime claims. And if you don't find what you're looking for on here, we urge you to give us a call at 888-449-2068. We will talk to you about your situation, answer your questions, let you know whether we think you even need an attorney and help you figure out where to go from there - all without ever hiring us.
We represent all workers, including workers with questions about their immigration status, who have suffered a wage violation, and who have previously filed with the DOL. We aggressively litigate claims in federal court against small, medium, and large companies who violate the FLSA. We fight to obtain compensation for our clients who work in various jobs and industries, including:
- Nurses, healthcare workers, and technical workers
- Paralegals and legal assistants
- Oil and gas workers, field workers, and field service technicians
- Call center or customer service employees
- Cable installers
- Loan officers, loan consultants, loan processors, and mortgage industry employees
- Repair technicians
- Retail store employees
- Computer and IT employees
- Janitors
- Waiters, waitresses and other tipped employees
- Dry cleaner workers
- Construction workers
- Accounting personnel
- Secretaries, payroll clerks, and general admin personnel
- Independent contractors or contract workers
- Interns
Don't let your employer steal your wages any longer!
If your employer is depriving you of the wages you are rightfully owed, you need to contact a Texas wage and hour lawyer at (877) 342-2020 to schedule a free consultation and case review. A Houston, Texas unpaid wages lawyer at Kennedy Hodges will fight to ensure that you receive all that you are owed.
The Texas overtime lawyers at Kennedy Hodges represent workers nationwide and across Texas in:
Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, Fort Worth, Pasadena, Laredo, Sugar Land, Lubbock, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, San Jose, Jacksonville, Indianapolis, San Francisco, Columbus, Charlotte, Detroit, and more.
Contact us today for a free, no obligation consultation about your employment law needs.
Kennedy Hodges, LLP
711 W. Alabama Street
Houston, Texas 77006
Phone: 713-523-0001
Fax: 713-523-1116
Toll Free: 888-449-2068
Get Directions
Case Results
Service Technicians
Successful representation for railroad worker denied overtime
Nurses/Healthcare
Successful representation for a group of EMS drivers
Successful representation in a wage claim for healthcare workers
Workers We Helped
Testimonials
- They explain everything to you and make sure you understand what's going to happen. I'm very happy with the settlement I got...
- I would like to open with a much appreciated "Thank you" to you for your professionalism and prompt attention regarding this settlement matter...
- In the end it was definitely worth the wait to get what I was owed!
- They really took time to go through every detail and make sure of what they were doing...
- A lot of people said it wasn't worth it to get an attorney but I would've missed out on a lot if I hadn't called...
- Call Galvin and Rick they have handled these cases a lot and they are honest about your case.
FAQs
Computer and IT
- I work for a computer company but my employer claims I am not due overtime pay because of the "Computer Professional" exemption. Is this true?
- Does the computer professional exemption apply to all IT workers?
- I am an IT worker - am I covered under the Fair Labor Standards Act?
Service Technicians
- I am an oil service technician and I was fired after complaining about not being paid overtime. Is it legal for my employer to do this?
- As a service technician I receive bonuses and commissions from my employer but I am not sure how my company is supposed to calculate them with my overtime pay. How do I figure this out?
- I am a plumber who is paid a straight hourly wage of $15 per hour, but I also receive a commission of 10% of every time I go out to a job. When I work overtime, my paychecks don't add up. How is my overtime supposed to be calculated?
- What do I do if my employer is not paying me overtime?
Independent Contractors
- I was subcontracted to paint the interior of a home, and the outside painters are the employees of the company. The foreman wants me to train the employees on the proper way to paint a door. Am I required to do this for them?
- If I am an independently contracted Houston personal trainer, am I allowed to set my own training appointments? The gym insists on telling me when to come in – is this right?
Why does my employer say that it’s better for me to work as an independent contractor?
My employer has asked me to sign an independent contractor agreement but I feel that I am an employee. What rights do I have?
What is the biggest warning sign that I’ve been misclassified as an independent contractor?
Cable Installers
- I am employed as a cable installer. As part of my training, I was required to complete an online course on cable boxes, but was allowed to finish it from home. Should I be paid for the time I spent training outside of the office?
- I am a cable installer and travel to an average of five homes a day. Should I be paid for my travel time?
- I am a cable installer working for a cable contractor but my employer says I am exempt from overtime pay. Is this true?
Sales Representatives
Tipped Employees
- What is spread of hours pay?
- Can my employer change my time sheet or clock-in time?
- What is Florida's minimum wage?
- My boss deducts wages for mistakes I make at work - is this legal?
- I work in a restaurant and am paid a fixed rate no matter how many hours I work - is this legal?
Nurses/Healthcare
I provide in-home care for elderly patients, but my employer tells me I am exempt form overtime under the companionship exemption. Is this true?
- Should I be paid as an in-home healthcare worker providing assistance for patients at their homes?
- Are paramedics and emergency medical technicians eligible to be paid overtime?
- I am a hospice worker and I travel to people's homes and spend a lot of time with patients. Am I eligible for overtime pay?
- If I'm a nurse do I automatically lose my right to overtime pay?
Paralegal
My boss requires me to answer my emails and phone calls at all times, even if it is after hours, but I do not get paid for time I spend doing so. How can I change this?
I am a paralegal who often works more than 45 hours per week. We were told in July that our holiday bonus will be $10,000 and should be considered part of our yearly pay. I only make $25,000 per year, and my overtime is based on 1.5 times my hourly rate of $12.00. I was also told that I’ll only receive my holiday “gift” if my boss thinks that I did a good job. Is this allowed?
- Are interns supposed to be paid?
Are paralegals in Texas eligible for overtime pay under the FLSA?
- If I'm a paralegal or legal assistant, do I automatically lose my right to overtime pay?
Call Center Workers
- I am a temporary call center employee in Houston, working for a staffing agency. My boss at the center won’t sign off on my hours because he doesn’t think I should be paid for working over part of my lunch breaks. What should I do?
- I am a call center telemarketer and I never receive overtime pay even when I work over 40 hours a week. Am I supposed to receive overtime?
Banking Industry
- I work for an accounting firm as an associate and most of my work is clerical, but my boss said I am not eligible for overtime pay because of the administrative exemption. Is this true?
- I am a loan officer working more than 40 hours a week but my employer has said I am not due overtime pay because I fall under the administrative exemption.
- I am a financial product marketer for an insurance company, but my boss told me I am an exempt employee and cannot receive overtime pay. Is this true?
- I am an administrator for a banking and loan company. Am I entitled to overtime pay?
Retail Store Employees
- I work in a clothing store and I frequently work off the clock but I am never paid for this time. Can I sue for back wages?
- I work more than 40 hours every week in a grocery store, but I am barely paid minimum wage and I am never paid overtime. Is this legal?
- Are all salesmen exempt under the commission exemption?
- Am I exempt from overtime as a pharmaceutical sales representative?
Other Workers We Help
- I am a porter at a car dealership and I work more than 40 hours a week but my employer never pays me overtime. Is this legal?
- Do I have any rights if my employer's paychecks keep bouncing? My boss keeps telling me I will get paid but I can’t wait any more.
- I am a personal assistant and I am required to be on call at all times, even during the night. Am I supposed to be paid overtime?
I work as a secretary for a large accounting firm, but I was hired by a Houston staffing agency. The firm says that I am not entitled to overtime, even though I work 45+ hours each week. Who do I talk to about this?
- I am a trucker and drive a commercial vehicle - what are the laws for truckers and overtime under the Federal Motor Carrier Exemption?
Answers to Your Questions
- If I work a holiday am I supposed to receive a bonus or premium pay?
- I worked during Daylight Savings Time but my employer said he is not required to pay me for the extra hour worked. Is this true?
- What is the Fair Labor Standards Act?
- I work on campus for a university. Am I supposed to be paid overtime?
- I have grown accustomed to working for 40 hours each week for the past 10 years, but my boss just reduced my hours. Is that legal?
General
- I am a cashier and work more than 40 hours a week but I am not paid overtime. Is this legal?
- What should I look for when hiring an employment lawyer?
- I signed an arbitration agreement when I was hired. Can I still sue my employer for back wages?
- Should I be paid for overtime even if it wasn’t authorized?
- My employer forces me to work through lunch but always deducts an hour from my pay anyway. Is this legal?
