Labor Law / FLSA Cases

Birmingham, Alabama Labor Law Attorneys

Under the terms of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), nonexempt employees enjoy certain rights and protections in regard to hours worked and overtime. Typically, eligibility for overtime depends on whether an employer classifies an employee as "exempt" or "non-exempt." However, even in cases where an employer considers a worker exempt, he or she may be assigned non-exempt tasks, such as administrative work.

Additionally, an employer may simply misclassify an employee in order to avoid having to pay overtime. As a result, an employer who intentionally or unintentionally misclassifies an employee - or the work done by them - may be financially liable for wage and hour violations. Likewise, employers who ask non-exempt employees to "work off the clock" -- or purposely overburden them so employees have to work outside of scheduled working hours -- can be held liable for wage and hour violations as well.

At the law office of Gulas & Stuckey, we represent employees in wage and hour litigation cases. We have the experience and investigative resources needed to expose practices on the part of employers that are intended to deprive workers of wages owed them. To schedule a free consultation, contact the law office of Peter K. Levine today.

Today's Modern Corporation: Plantation Economics

Unfortunately, today's publicly traded, modern corporation functions according to an incentive structure that rewards management for increased levels of "productivity" and "increased profit margins" - often at the expense of the average worker. Consequently, when they're not outsourcing or off-shoring American jobs, corporations are finding ways to save money by squeezing more work out of workers at the same or lower cost. In some cases, corporations hire contractors or pay some of their staff an hourly wage in an attempt to cut costs associated with salaries and benefits.

When layoffs occur, however, management expects exempts employees to shoulder the burden while non-exempt workers and contractors are expected to pick up the slack. In the process, the line between "exempt" and "non-exempt" can blur, depriving contractors and hourly workers of wages they deserve.

Exposing Wage and Hour Violations

Employers who attempt to thwart FLSA requirements fail to appreciate the fact that it's virtually impossible to avoid leaving some kind of a paper trail. Even if workers aren't allowed to punch time cards or are paid in cash for overtime work, analyzing company records, computer activity, production reports, even office video usually reveals unexplained work activity. The attorneys at Gulas & Stuckey interview managers and other workers in order to uncover a pattern of behavior that involves knowledge on the part of supervisors in regard to unpaid or unrecorded overtime work.

Don't Trust Your Employer to Tell You the Truth

Most employers who misclassify employees or ask them to work off the clock, are perfectly aware of what they're doing: if they didn't want to skirt the law, there wouldn't be a need for them to pressure or intimidate employees to go along with them. If you believe your employer has misclassified your status, don't confront them; rather, gather all relevant memos, emails, job descriptions, pay stubs, and information related to your job tasks. Once you have documented the actions of your employer, we can evaluate your case and discuss the legal options available to you.

Contact Employment Law Attorneys at Gulas & Stuckey Today

Most employers are unlikely to take employee complaints seriously until a lawyer is involved. We've represented employees in cases involving Fortune 100 and 500 companies. Gulas & Stuckey are experienced litigators who won't be intimidated by corporate lawyers who mistakenly believe they can make a lawsuit go away by outspending the other side or intimidating them into silence.

If your employer has taken advantage of you, contact labor law attorneys at Gulas & Stuckey today to schedule a free consultation.