Law

Do you have a wage/hour dispute with your employer? If so, you must contact a Hartford wage and hour attorney. Although you may feel frustrated and angry about how you are treated at work, there are ways to protect your rights. A great attorney can work with you in fighting back and getting your unpaid wages. Whether your wage and hour dispute arose because of poor record-keeping, unpaid overtime, or worker misclassification, the best attorney can represent you. They understand your rights and the duties of your employer. They can advise you on your rights and responsibilities in terms of minimum wages, overtime pay, and employee classification. 

If your employer has been paying you less than you earned, you can file a claim with the Connecticut Department of Labor, Division of Wage and Workplace Standards. Also, you can file a lawsuit if your employer violated your rights.  

Wage and Hour Violations

Although a lot of wage and hour violations are blatant, others may be less obvious. These include the following:

• Incorrect overtime pay calculation. Overtime hours are time you spend working for your employer beyond your regular shift. You should be paid the right amount for the extra work you do.  
• Failure to get paid for off-the-clock time. Whether you were asked to check and answer emails or load a truck before the official start of your shift, you performed work that benefits your employer. Thus, you must be paid for it. 
• Employee misclassification. A lot of overtime claims arise because of employees being misclassified as “exempt” and are denied overtime pay. However, employers who misclassify workers as independent contractors qualified as employees violate the Fair Labor Standards Act.
• Paying less than minimum wages. Connecticut employees must be paid at least $15 per hour. You can file a claim against an employee who fails to pay you minimum wage. 

Unpaid wage and overtime pay violations are quite common in health care, hospitality, janitorial services, and restaurant industries. Thankfully, a skilled employment lawyer who specializes in wage/hour disputes can help ensure a victim gets paid each penny they have earned. 

Employees who speak up regarding the failure of their employer to pay them overtime compensation have protection from the law. Both federal and Connecticut laws do not permit employers from taking retaliatory action against workers who seek legal recourse. The state prohibits employers from wrongfully firing a worker for reasons that violate a significant public policy. 

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You probably already know about at least some of the people in a courtroom and the roles they play, such as the judge, jury, and attorneys. However, there are many other people who have jobs to do in the courtroom. They do not always draw attention to themselves, but their job is to keep the court proceedings moving smoothly.

1. Court Reporter

The court reporter’s job is to perform transcription Boston MA. Everything said in a court of law has to be taken down and preserved to become a part of the record. The job of the court reporter is to produce this record.

2. Court Clerk

Court clerks are organizers who schedule the proceedings that take place in court. Court clerks are also administrators who manage the court’s funds and give the oath to jurors and witnesses. While the judge issues a court order, the clerk is responsible for preparing it.

3. Bailiff

The responsibility of the bailiff is to maintain order and provide security in the courtroom. If someone in the courtroom becomes unruly or enters without permission, it is the bailiff’s responsibility to remove that person according to the judge’s orders. The bailiff is also responsible for guarding the jury against outside contact and escorting judges and other court employees to and from the courtroom.

Despite wearing a badge and a uniform, a bailiff is not part of the regular police force. A person who becomes a bailiff may have previous experience in law enforcement, but this is not a requirement.

4. Paralegal

Paralegals are not court employees but are employed by attorneys. They perform many administrative tasks related to researching legal precedents that may be relevant to a particular case. This helps to free up the attorney for tasks that require a law degree, which a paralegal does not have.

Legal careers can be very lucrative. These jobs can pay close to $40,000 per year, and some can pay even more. This can depend partly on experience.

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