| One of the primary laws dealing with overtime in | | | | a week (an example would be when you work 35 |
| the U. S. is the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) | | | | hours in one week and 45 hours in the second |
| which was passed in 1937. The United States | | | | week). It is not allowable for an employer to |
| adopted the Act in order to set certain wage | | | | average your work hours between two weeks to |
| standards and guidelines for employers. The FLSA | | | | determine overtime pay. In cases like this, you |
| requires that employees who work overtime be | | | | may be entitled to overtime pay for the second |
| paid for the additional time they have worked | | | | week if you are a non-exempt employee. |
| beyond the standard 40 hour work week. In | | | | - Employers can not give you comp time off |
| addition to the FLSA, the state of Florida also has | | | | instead of paying you overtime wages. This is a |
| a separate set of regulations that employers | | | | violation of the FLSA. |
| must follow when it comes to paying overtime | | | | - The FLSA and the Florida wage laws prohibit |
| for their employees. | | | | employers from punishing or firing an employee |
| - In Florida, overtime wage payments are | | | | who has asserted his or her rights to overtime |
| structured to go along with the U.S. guidelines. | | | | wages. |
| Often, though, an employer may ask an | | | | - The FLSA allows employees two years to file |
| employee to do something that seems innocent, | | | | an overtime lawsuit or three years if the |
| such as requesting them to check company email | | | | employer's violation was willful. Employees and |
| or answer an office-related text message over | | | | former employees should file a claim with a Florida |
| their lunch break, or maybe staying a few | | | | overtime wage attorney as soon as possible after |
| minutes late so they can wrap up a meeting. | | | | a suspected violation so the attorney can put the |
| They may require employees to set up or put | | | | strongest possible case together. |
| away equipment before or after normal working | | | | Even though the FLSA is supposed to provide |
| hours or may not pay for time spent on legally | | | | regulations that provide that all employees are |
| mandated breaks. If this has happened to you | | | | treated fairly, some employers routinely fail to |
| and you are a non-exempt employee, you may | | | | pay their employees overtime pay, even if they |
| be entitled to an overtime wage claim in Florida. All | | | | do not intentionally try to get out of doing it. The |
| of this unpaid time can add up, too: if you only | | | | overtime wage laws are confusing and complex - |
| work an extra 20-30 minutes a day doing these | | | | it is easy for employers to either misinterpret the |
| "extras", that means you are working unpaid for | | | | FSLA or try to get around the law to avoid |
| at least two hours a week. Figured at $12.00 an | | | | paying their employees a Florida overtime wage. |
| hour over a two year period, your employer | | | | Florida overtime attorney Joseph M. Maus can help |
| could owe you $2,500.00! | | | | if you have a question or need information on |
| - Most "salaried" employees are entitled to an | | | | Florida overtime wage claims. Contact him at |
| overtime wage payment! In many cases, being | | | | 1-866-556-5529 or email him today for a free |
| paid a salary just means the employee gets paid | | | | consultation. The Law Office of Joseph M. Maus |
| the same amount of money each week. Your | | | | and Associates has handled some of the largest |
| status as an exempt or non-exempt employee is | | | | Florida overtime wage claims. Attorneys in their |
| what determines your eligibility for overtime pay. | | | | offices were recently appointed in Federal Court |
| - Some employees work over a two-week pay | | | | as lead counsel in an Overtime Class Action |
| period that adds up to an average of forty hours | | | | against a large Fortune 500 Company. |