WHAT HAPPENS TO ME AFTER I SUE FOR WAGE VIOLATIONS?

January 20, 2017

Christopher Anderson

At your company, it’s always business as usual. Same products. Same services. Same practice of shorting workers on their overtime pay, forcing them to work through their breaks and after hours, and paying them for fewer hours than they actually worked.

It’s wage theft, plain and simple. You don’t like being shortchanged, so you’re thinking about suing your employer to take back what it stole. But you have concerns. What will happen to you after you sue for wage violations?

Your Employer May Not Be Happy

No employer likes a lawsuit, and they likely won’t be thrilled that you filed one. They might try to deter you by putting a positive spin on their actions. They may even imply that companies that violate workplace laws are not likely to be held accountable for their actions. Don’t be intimidated. If you are not being properly compensated for the hours you work, your employer is breaking the law and they are not allowed to retaliate against you or inflict negative consequences on you.

Can You Get Fired?

You’re well aware that employment is ‘at-will’ in New York state, which means that if your boss isn’t happy with your performance, you can be terminated. But here’s the catch, and it’s in your favor. They may not need a good reason to fire you, but they can’t have a bad one either. Retaliation for defending your rights definitely falls within the ‘bad’ category.

Here’s a bit of Employment Law 101 for you: employers may not legally retaliate against you for asserting your right to filing a complaint about your wages.  If they do, the situation can get worse. For them, that is.

Can You Get Demoted or Lose Benefits?

Your employer cannot retaliate against you in any way when you report them for wage violations. Not only can they not fire you, they also can’t demote you, cut your hours, reduce your pay rate, etc.. Any type of retaliation gives you grounds for filing another claim against them, one that could potentially result in a damage award in court.

You work too hard to be treated so unfairly. Your employer is not only cheating you out of wages, they are also cheating your family out of the opportunities that an accurate paycheck represents for them.

Wage theft hurts everyone except the company that uses your unpaid labor to improve its bottom line. You, your family, and your future self all deserve better. Contact AndersonDodson today to set up a free, confidential consultation to discuss your situation and your options for reclaiming what is rightfully yours.