As you may know, employers throughout the United States are required to follow all protections reserved for employees established in the Fair Labor and Standards Act. Whether you live in Georgia or anywhere else in the United States, you are protected under this Act, as it is a federal law. Under the act, wage & hour laws are set out for all workers throughout the country. The law also clearly defines overtime hour standards and the federal minimum wage, though unfortunately, there are certain cases where employers will neglect to follow this law. When this happens, their employees will sustain negative financial impacts. If you believe that your employer violated the wage & hour laws, there is a very good chance that you will have a valid claim against him or her. Please continue reading and speak with our experienced Georgia employment law attorney to learn more about these laws and how we can help if your employer violated them. Here are some of the questions you may have:
What is the purpose of the Fair Labor and Standards Act?
The Fair Labor and Standards Act clearly dictates the federal minimum wages, which, at the present, is $7.25 an hour. That being said, not all jobs are covered under the Fair Labor and Standards Act. Certain jobs, such as those where employees accept tips, are only required to receive a minimum wage of $2.13 per hour. Other jobs only require workers to receive $5.15 per hour as well. Workers exempt from minimum wage laws are as follows:
- Workers with disabilities
- Newspaper employees of limited circulation newspapers
- Fishermen
- Switchboard operators
- Babysitters
- Newspaper delivery employees
How are overtime laws regulated under the Fair Labor Standards Act?
Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, covered employees that work more than 40 hours per week must earn 1.5 times the amount of their usual pay for every hour worked. This is also true for each hour that employees work on holidays. That being said, certain employees do not qualify for overtime pay, and some of those employees are as follows:
- Babysitters
- Livestock auction workers
- Taxicab drivers
- Police officers working in smaller, public police departments that have fewer than 5 officers
- Movie theater employees
- Airline employees
- Newspaper delivery employees
- Retail employees who receive commission
If you are a qualifying employee and you believe that your employer has violated wage & hour laws at your expense, give our seasoned Atlanta employment rights attorney a call today. Our firm is ready to help you in any way we can.
CONTACT OUR EXPERIENCED GEORGIA FIRM
If you need help with an employment law matter in the state of Georgia, you can count on Ben Barrett Law to effectively represent your interests. With over 30 years of experience, Attorney Barrett has the skill and experience necessary to help you navigate the complexities of any employment law matter you may be facing. To discuss your case with a legal team you can trust, please do not hesitate to contact Ben Barrett Law today.
