The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is a federal law intended to protect workers in the United States by ensuring they receive fair wages for the work they do. Specifically, the FLSA requires that:
- Covered, nonexempt workers are paid the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. The minimum wage in Kentucky is also $7.25 per hour.
- Covered, nonexempt workers are paid overtime wages at a rate of one and one-half times their regular rate of pay for all hours worked over 40 per workweek.
- Employers count all hours spent on employer premises, on duty, or at a prescribed workplace as employee hours worked.
- Employers keep records of employee hours and pay.
- Employers display a poster specifying FLSA requirements.
The FLSA also includes federal child labor provisions to set work restrictions for young people and ensure a safe environment for young workers.
Employers may violate the FLSA
Employers do not always follow the law when it comes to paying their employees. In fact many employers commit wage and hour violations by:
- Misclassifying employees as exempt
- Failing to keep accurate records of employee hours
- Miscalculating overtime or refusing to pay for unapproved overtime
- Docking employee hours
- Failing to pay for mealtimes/breaks
- Failing to pay for work done ‘off-the-clock’
If you are not getting paid properly by your employer, it may be in your best interest to consult with an employment law attorney in your area. Your attorney can review your case and help you recover the compensation you deserve.