If you have unpaid overtime, document everything

Do you trust your employer? Most people do, at least to a certain extent.

Yet, the sad reality is many employers in southern Florida are looking out for their own interests rather than those of their employees. This means they sometimes take advantage of their employees for financial gain. This is illegal and unacceptable.

One way employers do this is by trying to find ways to avoid paying overtime. Although failing to pay overtime can sometimes happen unintentionally, in most cases employers do so knowingly.

This can take many forms, from saying you don’t qualify for overtime pay during a probationary period or that certain parts of your job, like attending mandatory meetings, are unpaid. This is untrue, so you shouldn’t let your employer take advantage of you. Instead, you should seek out the pay you deserve.

How to build your case

How do you go about doing this? You might have to file a legal claim, but there are steps you can take to build evidence before moving forward. Perhaps the most important is to document everything:

• Take notes of what your supervisors have said to you
• Log your hours and corresponding pay
• Talk to co-workers about how they have been paid
• See if information about overtime pay is posted in your place of employment, as federal law requires that information to be made available.

Plus, you may want to discuss your unique set of circumstances with an attorney of your choosing. This legal professional may be able to help you negotiate with your employer to ensure a fair and favorable resolution.

When settlement attempts fail, though, you will need an advocate on your side who is not afraid to argue the matter in court.