Time and time again, clients tell me about how they started work a little bit early to prepare for the shift or were stuck working late to complete a job, only to have the computer reject their hours. It’s one thing to have a policy that forbids overtime and to enforce that policy by not allowing employees to work overtime. But, you can’t turn back time and you certainly can’t deny a non-exempt employee overtime wages because he or she did not get pre-approval to work overtime.
If you were denied overtime pay after you worked overtime – because the computer would not let you log in, log out, or post your hours accurately without the approval from a manager or supervisor – you may be entitled to bring a claim to recover your unpaid overtime wages. The Fair Labor Standards Act is the federal law on overtime pay, and you do not need to wait for the Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor to force your employer to pay. You have the power to make things right for yourself and your coworkers.
If you have found yourself in this situation, you should immediately contact Brian H. Pollock, Esq., the principal attorney at the FairLaw Firm, to discuss your situation in order to find out whether you could bring a claim against your employer for violating your right to receive overtime pay. The initial consultation for all new clients and all new matters is always free, so you have nothing to lose – except the overtime pay you already may have earned.
