Houston Wage & Hour Defense Lawyer
Employee wage and hour claims can quickly become expensive for a Houston business, particularly when an employee has weeks or months worth of complaints to investigate. When you are notified of potential wage and hour violations, you must take immediate legal action to protect your business’ finances, reputation, and standing with employees. The business lawyers at Roger G. Jain & Associates, P.C. understand the complexities of these claims and we know how to help your business come through this challenge.
Roger G. Jain & Associates, P.C. has helped businesses across a wide range of industries address complex wage and hour disputes. Founder and attorney Roger G. Jain has spent decades handling a variety of civil and criminal cases while also helping local businesses with various employment issues.
Located at 9301 Southwest Freeway Suite 250, Roger G. Jain & Associates, P.C. is found in the heart of Houston. Just moments off of I-69, our business law firm is easy to find no matter where you’re coming from in the Houston area. Prepare for your business’ current wage and hour dispute now by setting up a meeting with our team. Call us at 713-981-0600 or contact us online now.
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Common Wage and Hour Claims
If a company is in business for long enough, it’s bound to get hit with at least one wage or hour claim. These claims are often the result of misunderstandings regarding labor laws, inexperienced management, or employees who misunderstand their rights. Common issues that local businesses report include unpaid wages, employees misclassified as independent contractors, unpaid overtime, and breaks that are not provided.
Some of these issues are quickly resolved with a review of federal and state laws. For example, Texas law does not require breaks for employees. However, certain municipalities throughout Texas do have their own break ordinances—and failing to provide those required breaks can result in heavy fines.
Overtime Claims
Perhaps one of the most common wage and hour claims reported by Houston employees is unpaid overtime. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, the vast majority of employees are entitled to overtime pay when they work more than 40 hours in a work week. Certain employees are exempt from this requirement.
Exempt employees generally include salaried workers that fill managerial or professional roles as part of their employment contract. Most hourly workers are entitled to overtime pay. Some businesses attempt to get around paying overtime by misclassifying non-exempt employees as exempt—and when employees realize their rights, they may file a claim that leaves the company on the hook for months worth of missed overtime pay.
Department of Labor and FLSA Defense
A Department of Labor investigation is often the next step once an employee reports an issue with hours or wages. For business owners, this is a stressful and time-consuming process. You’ll need to provide substantial documentation to the DOL employee assigned to your case, including payroll records, your punch-in and punch-out records, instructions provided to employees regarding clocking in and out, and the protocols followed by managers. Compliance throughout this process is essential; attempting to hide important information, falsify documentation, or delay providing this information only makes matters worse for employers.
FLSA investigations deal specifically with minimum wage, overtime pay, hours worked, and record-keeping—all of which fall under the umbrella of wage and hour claims. If an employee’s claim falls under the Fair Labor Standards Act, you should expect a full review and investigation of your company’s policies in these areas.
The Importance of Prevention
You’ll note that any wage and hour claim involves substantial investigation, and that means proper documentation and record keeping. If you don’t have strong documentation processes in place ahead of time, you could be significantly hindered during the investigation. That’s why it’s important to have proper processes and protocols in place ahead of time.
Ensure that all employees and managers understand their rights and obligations under the law and what to do if they feel their rights have been violated. Set up a strong system for internal audits that allow you to catch problems before they catch the attention of the federal government. In addition to helping you with your current wage and hour claim, we can also set you up with proper protocols moving forward.
Contact Our Law Firm Today
Whether you’re grappling with wage and hour claims from employees or you want to ensure that your company is compliant with local, state, and federal laws, the team at Roger G. Jain & Associates, P.C. is here to help. Set up a consultation online or call us at 713-981-0600.