We have written about some of the reasons why staff members take their employers to court, whether they believe that they have been illegally discriminated against or subjected to sexual harassment. Some employee lawsuits have nothing to do with discrimination or harassment, however, such as a lawsuit that is centered around wage and hour violations. These lawsuits may only involve an individual staff member or a group of employees may be taking legal action jointly. Either way, it is pivotal to take a close look at the case in order to devise a strategy for how you are going to handle this potentially challenging situation.
There are many different types of wage and hour violations that may lead to complaints, fines and even litigation. For example, a worker may believe that they did not receive wages for hours they worked or that they were denied overtime pay to which there were entitled. There are many other examples of wage and hour violations, such as minimum wage violations, payments at an incorrect rate and employees being pressured directly or indirectly to perform work “off the clock.” Moreover, workers may decide to file a complaint because they were denied mandated breaks.
As with any other type of lawsuit that targets a business, the consequences of litigation can be very damaging. Aside from penalties and other costs, a company that is found to have violated the rights of its employees with respect to wage and hour laws may sustain serious damage to its reputation. Moreover, other employees may decide to take legal action as well, so it is vital to approach any employee lawsuit carefully.