Pinellas County Unpaid Wages and Overtime Lawyers

If you are dealing with unpaid wages, worrying and stressing out about how to get your hard-earned money, getting overwhelmed, and not sure what to do, a Pinellas County unpaid wages attorney can help. You do not have to fight your employer on your own. Wage theft is all too common in Pinellas County, and our experts know what to do and how to build a strong case.

Many workers suffer from wage theft yearly. When the Pinellas County Board of Commissioners passed the Wage Theft and Recovery Ordinance in 2016, the county was listed third in the state for wage theft. Since the passing of the ordinance, there has been an increase in wage theft claims every year, with nearly 550 claims as of 2020 valued at approximately $1,428,000.

Schedule your confidential consultation today. Our Pinellas County wage theft attorneys fight hard to get what you are rightfully owed.

Wage Theft Attorneys Representing Employees – Not Employers

Employers often feel they hold all the power in a wage theft case, but they do not. Wage theft attorneys represent employees, providing them with formidable skills and experience to stand up to employers taking advantage of their workers to benefit their own pockets.

In wage theft cases, employers will bully, harass, and even threaten their employees if they attempt to get their fair pay. They will often have an attorney, and you deserve to have skilled legal protection of your own. Wage theft attorneys defend their client’s rights aggressively, leading as legal advocates at each step of the process.

Types of Wage Theft in Pinellas County

Wage theft comes in many forms. Employers can take action not to pay these types of wages in full or decide not to pay them at all.

• Overtime pay — employees who are qualified to receive overtime and work more than 40 hours in a workweek should be paid one and a half times their standard hourly wage. An unpaid overtime attorney can help.
• Minimum wage violations — employees must be paid at least the Florida minimum wage ($10.00/hour, not the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour); tipped employees must be paid at least $6.98/hour.
• Working off the clock — employees should not be asked to work before or after they clock out, including during break time and lunches.
• Employee misclassification — employees have the right to certain benefits, including having their employer pay payroll taxes. Employers may misclassify an employee as an independent contractor to benefit their bottom line.
• Not being paid at all — employees are legally owed payment for all hours they have worked, including the last paycheck when the employee leaves the company.
• Not being paid bonuses and commissions — employees who have contracts or agreements and conditions of employment that provide bonuses and commissions are rightfully owed those earned funds as per the parameters agreed upon by employee and employer.

At Wenzel Fenton Cabassa, P.A., our Pinellas County unpaid wages attorneys have the comprehensive knowledge and skills to help employees get the compensation they deserve for varying types of wage theft.

Note: The Florida minimum wage is slated to increase to $11.00/hour in September 2022 and incrementally increase each year through 2026. It is not uncommon for Florida employers to pay employees according to the federal standard of $7.25, not the state standard minimum wage, which is unlawful.

What is the Statute of Limitations for Wage Theft Disputes?

The Pinellas County Office of Human Rights, the county’s administrator for wage theft disputes, requires signed claims for wage theft to be filed no later than one (1) year after the last date upon which the employee performed the work for an employer.

How a Pinellas County Unpaid Wages Attorney Can Help

If you have been the victim of wage theft, a Pinellas County unpaid wages attorney can help by building a strong case against your employer, ensuring all documentation and claims are filed appropriately, and advocating aggressively on your behalf during the conciliation process and, if necessary, in court.

At Wenzel Fenton Cabassa, P.A., we are the employee’s lawyers, fighting for justice on behalf of employees across industries – from healthcare, IT, and hospitality to sales, corporate office, retail, and many others. We care about the employees and families of Pinellas County and work diligently to help you get your fair pay.

Schedule a free, confidential consultation with a Pinellas County Unpaid Wages and Overtime Attorney today.