Unpaid Wage Lawyers Serving Florida and Georgia

What can I do If my Florida employer didn’t pay me?

You may have a variety of options available under Florida law, local ordinances, and federal law to recover unpaid wages. Since wage and hour laws are not consistently enforced at the state level, many city and county governments have enacted provisions to help workers recover unpaid wages. For instance, if you work for an employer in Pinellas County, you have the option of filing a complaint with the County Office of Human Rights. If your employer is in Alachua County or Miami-Dade County or certain other jurisdictions, you have other possibilities for relief. When you consult an attorney who helps workers recover unpaid wages, your legal advisor can help you pursue the best option available in your particular jurisdiction.

I never received wages for my leave. What can I do?

It is important to gather as much documentation as possible to support your claim. Round up copies of pay stubs from the relevant time period, and if you can’t find them, request copies from your employer. If you are working under any type of written contract, get a copy of the terms. Ideally you want evidence showing that you acquired leave and never received pay for that leave. If your employer has a policy guide specifying that you are entitled to two weeks leave each year or that you earn a certain amount each pay period, get a copy of it. Your attorney can help you locate other types of evidence to support your claim. Then you will need to decide whether to proceed through local government, state government, or federal government channels, and your attorney can assist with that as well. It is important to avoid delay because deadlines apply, and the longer you wait, the more difficult it can be to gather the evidence you need.

Can I still get my wages after I was fired?

When you legitimately earn wages, you do not lose the right to receive those wages. In fact, not only is your employer required to pay you, they are required to provide your pay on the next regularly scheduled pay date. Even if your employer insists that you need to return company property or fulfill some other obligation, they are not entitled to withhold your pay. However, if you are paid through direct deposit, they can cancel that service and require you to come to the office to pick up a check.

How do I get the unpaid wages?

There may be a couple of different approaches you can take to recover unpaid wages depending on the circumstances. Your options could include:

• Filing a lawsuit in circuit court or county court. The employer may be required to pay the cost of attorney’s fees.
• File a claim with the U.S. Department of Labor regarding a violation of overtime or other federal wage and hour laws
• File a lawsuit for civil theft under Florida law. This option can provide up to three times the amount owed, along with attorney’s fees and court costs.
• File a complaint under a county or city ordinance.

The best choice for your situation will depend on a variety of factors. For instance, workers who are classified as independent contractors may be allowed to pursue some remedies but not others. Your lawyer can help you choose the right option and fight to get the wages you deserve.

What can I do If my Georgia employer didn’t pay me?

You will need to determine how much you are owed and the best means of recovery. An experienced unpaid wages lawyer in Georgia can review your situation and calculate the types of unpaid wages you are owed and the value of your claim. Then your attorney can review the options available for recovering your unpaid wages and help you pursue the best course of action.

So if you believe your employer has not paid you fairly for hours worked, overtime, short breaks, or other money owed, it is a good idea to gather your evidence and consult an experienced employment law attorney who handles claims in your area.

I never received wages for my leave. What can I do?

Employers are generally not required to provide paid leave, but many choose to do so to attract the best employees. Their choice to provide paid leave creates an obligation, and when they breach their contractual duties, workers have options to seek relief. These options include filing lawsuits in court, or sometimes filing administrative complaints.

If you have not been paid for leave, you should collect evidence to support your claim, such as pay stubs, employee policy manuals, and other documentation. An attorney could help you find and preserve evidence, calculate the value of your losses, and pursue the remedy best calculated to provide maximum compensation.

Can I still get my wages after I was fired?

The federal Fair Labor Standards Act requires employers to pay remaining wages and other amounts due on the next regularly scheduled payday. This requirement applies to employees who leave on their own as well as those who are terminated by the company.

The final paycheck should include wages from the most recent pay period, compensation for unused paid leave, and other compensation such as commission and bonuses. You earned that compensation and your employer cannot deny your wages even they fired you for conduct they did not approve of.

If the employer insists that you need to return company equipment or uniforms, that does not give them the right to delay your final paycheck. However, they can discontinue direct deposit or other payment methods and require you to pick up a check at a business location.

How do I get the unpaid wages?

For many employees in Georgia, the best options to recover unpaid wages involve filing a lawsuit or filing a complaint with the U.S. Department of Labor. Your attorney can review the benefits and drawbacks of each approach based on your particular situation and help you determine the right strategy to recover the wages you are entitled to, plus any additional amounts that may be owed if your employer committed deliberate wrongdoing.

Remember that your unpaid wages can include amounts from a variety of sources including short breaks that should have been compensated, work performed before or after clocking in, unpaid overtime, or failure to pay minimum wage. The best way to ensure that you receive all the amounts you are owed is to consult a knowledgeable unpaid wages attorney with experience helping workers recover full compensation.