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Education Key to Preventing Misclassification, Unpaid Wages as Copier Technician

As a copier technician, there are many ways that you could miss out on valuable money from your paycheck. Your employer could misclassify you under the Fair Labor Standards Act's Learned Professional exemption, jeopardizing your right to overtime.

Since copier technicians are often traveling to different sites each day to repair the machines, there is always the risk the employer will fail to compensate you for your travel time. Were you forced to work through lunch? The employer should pay you for that time, too. Copier technicians are entitled to compensation while waiting for customers, cleaning their company vehicle, and ordering supplies.

But how do you keep all of this information straight and make sure that your paycheck correctly reflects the actual number of hours worked?

The Houston fair overtime lawyers at Kennedy Hodges firmly believe that knowledge is power. Arming yourself with a wealth of information is the best way to ensure that you are not being taken advantage of by your employer and company.

Here are just a few ways that copier technicians can learn their rights and avoid unfair wage and overtime practices.

• Browse through the U.S. Department of Labor website; it is a valuable resource on everything from wage minimums to FLSA rights. There are fact sheets for virtually every profession with outlines on exemptions and information on who is covered under the Act. 
• Talk to an attorney experienced in handling claims surrounding FLSA violations. Even if something just doesn't seem right, a good lawyer will answer your question and give you a straightforward answer on whether or not you should be worried. 
• Read your company's manual or handbook, and learn their policies. If your company doesn't have a handbook, make sure that you and your employer are on the same page when it comes to job title versus job duties. Misclassification often occurs when an employer deems an employee "exempt" under the FLSA based on their job title, not on the work they actually perform. Sorting this out ahead of time with your employer can decrease your chances of being misclassified.

 

You can also order your free copy of Kennedy Hodges' book, the Ten Biggest Mistakes that Can Hurt Your Wage and Overtime Claim by calling 888.449.2068. Or fill out our online form to schedule your free case evaluation today.