Wage and Overtime 101: Part One - Overtime and Wage Violations: No Industry is Immune

Wage and Overtime Lawsuits are Increasing

Employees in every occupation fall victim to wage and overtime violations in Texas, but employees are fighting back to demand Fair Wages under the FLSA. But more and more employees are speaking up and demanding their fair wages under the FLSA. In fact, wage and overtime lawsuits doubled from 2001 to 2006.

When Workers Stand up for their Rights - Employers Have to Pay

Almost 90 percent of the working population is eligible for overtime pay, but employees who have been robbed of their wages may feel afraid to speak up. They may not want to rock the boat for fear of losing their job. But employers face civil and criminal penalties if they take any retaliation against employees who exercise their FLSA rights. When workers stand up for their rights, employers often end up paying millions of dollars to resolve claims. Bank of America, Starbucks, Wal-Mart, UPS, Tyson Chicken, IMB and Target are just a few companies who have had to account for overtime and wage violations.

Overtime Violation Rates by Industry

The numbers speak loud and clear: employers are stealing millions of dollars in wages and other financial benefits from employees. A study done by the University of California makes it clear that no industry is immune from overtime and wage violations. The study highlights alarming overtime and wage violation rates that are prevalent across the nation. Some of the labor law violations reported among workers in the study include:

• Not being paid overtime wages
• Being forced to work off the clock or during breaks
• Being paid late and
• Tip stealing.

The survey found that workers across all industries were frequently subjected to wage and overtime violations.

95% - Home healthcare workers, childcare workers, maids, and housekeepers.
92% - Garment workers
81% - Cashiers, Retail workers, Tellers, Clerks
80% - Security guards, Janitors, Grounds maintenance workers
64% - Cooks, Dishwashers, Food preparers
37% - Production, Packaging, Warehouse workers

In case you missed them, read our articles to get more information:

Wage and Overtime 101
Part One: Overtime and Wage Violation Rates - No Industry is Immune

Part Two: The Basics of Overtime and Wage Claims under the FLSA

Part Three: Wage and Overtime Lawsuits - Your Options

Part Four: Basic Timeline of a Wage and Overtime Lawsuit

If you are a worker in Texas and you believe you haven't been paid your fair wages under the FLSA, you can order a free copy of The 10 Biggest Mistakes that can Hurt Your Wage and Overtime Claim to get more information about wage and overtime claims. You can also contact experienced Texas labor law attorneys through our confidential contact form, or call 713-523-0001, or toll-free at (888) 449-2068.

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, Illinios, New York, Massachusetts, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, San Jose, Jacksonville, Indianapolis, San Francisco, Columbus, Charlotte, Detroit, and more.