The Fair Labor Standards Act protects employees from bosses who unfairly withhold pay. More companies are using digital time trackers for employees to log in and out of their shifts. This can provide a more convenient method of calculating hours that is superior to the old timeclocks. Unfortunately, many employers have figured out ways to commit wage theft nonetheless.
What constitutes wage theft?
Wage theft can include paying a wage below the West Virginia or federal minimum, failing to pay the overtime rate for hours exceeding 40 in a week or requiring a worker to begin a shift before clocking in. With digital wage tracking, however, the theory is to send the hours an employee works straight to the software to prevent employees from taking longer breaks or having another worker clock them in. While protecting employers from unscrupulous workers, the programs do little to protect workers from cheating bosses.
For example, an employer can easily adjust the program to round the hours of a worker who clocks in early. The employer can also program the software to automatically deduct time for a meal break whether the employee takes the break or continues working. Computerized systems also make it easier for employers to shave hours worked from an employee’s total.
These are only a few ways in which a West Virginia boss may steal wages from unsuspecting employees. Workers who suspect their employer of wage theft may have many questions and few resources for investigating the matter. By teaming with an experienced attorney, they may be able to hold their employers accountable for their actions.