There is no shortage of ways that an employee can bring a wage and hour lawsuit against your company. At the Law Offices of Levi Williams, P.A., we know that such claims can be time-consuming and costly to defend. In order to protect your business, it is important to understand federal and Florida labor laws.
The factors that most commonly play a role in wage and hour disputes include the following:
- Payment of minimum wage
- Overtime pay
- Misclassifying employees as independent contractors
- Vacation, sick and holiday leave
- The Family and Medical Leave Act
There are specific matters that may also pop up, such as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which mandates that employers provide a reasonable break time for nursing mothers. Each of these factors can play a role in hours worked or compensation.
In order to remain compliant, the U.S. Department of Labor suggests that employers familiarize themselves with the Fair Labor Standards Act, FMLA and a number of other employment regulations. Further, there are several statutes that require a company to display posters regarding policy. Failing to do so could result in a non-compliance fine or give an employee fodder for a lawsuit.
Lastly, the Department of Labor provides compliance assistance to ensure that businesses are in-line with federal laws. In many cases, such as overtime pay, the state of Florida does not have any laws in place and simply defers to federal regulations.
Make sure your business is compensating employees properly. For more information on this topic, please visit our page on wage and hour disputes and employer liability defense.