When a worker is hired to do a job, it is understood that the worker will be appropriately compensated for the work provided. Fortunately, wage and hour laws were established in the state of California to protect workers from unfair treatment. All employers must comply with these laws or face consequences such as litigation and/or hefty fines. A worker in another state filed a lawsuit over claims that he was not paid appropriately for the hours he worked.
The man worked at a recycling facility and is seeking a class-action lawsuit to include others who worked at the facility who were also allegedly subjected to unfair treatment. According to claims, the man performed manual labor at the recycling facility as part of a work release program while he was incarcerated. He and others were usually scheduled to work five days per week from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m., which included half-hour lunch breaks.
However, the plaintiff claims that he and others were only paid a flat rate of $20 per day regardless of how many hours they worked. The lawsuit claimed that the workers were taken advantage of and should have been compensated fairly since they were generating revenue. The man accused the defendant of violating labor laws by financially benefiting from plaintiffs’ labor while neglecting to pay them.
Failing to pay workers for the work they provide is not only wrong, but it is a violation of the law. When employers in California deliberately break wage and hour laws, affected workers can take action by contacting a knowledgeable attorney and filing a lawsuit. Compensation awarded from a successfully litigated claim can help ease the economic burden that often comes with lost wages.