It is safe to say that nefarious individuals interested in taking advantage of others have been around since the birth of humankind. Fortunately, there are more honest people than dishonest occupying our world.
Most New York bosses probably try to do right by their workers, but other employers will cheat the system any chance they get. Wage theft is one of the most overlooked ways of cheating others, but you must know what to look for before you can remedy the situation.
Examples of employer wage theft
We have emphasized on many occasions the complexity of New York employment laws. If you know less about these laws than your employer does, you might be at risk for wage theft in the following ways.
- Stealing your tips
- Withholding pay or paid sick time
- Failing to pay overtime rates
- Paying less than minimum wage
- Withholding a final paycheck
All the examples above are illegal, and you can take steps to stop wage theft in its tracks.
New York workforce protections
In April 2011, the Wage Theft Prevention Act (WTPA) went into effect, increasing protection for all New York employees. The Act helps to reduce employer wage theft by increasing the responsibilities of employers.
For example, employers across the state must now give written notice to employees of their pay rates and overtime rates. Other notices employers must provide include:
- How workers get paid (hourly, weekly, monthly, etc.)
- The regular payday for workers
- Details of any deductions taken from an employee’s pay (meals and lodging, etc.)
- Advance notice of any changes to pay policies
As you may imagine, the above represents only a few of the protections in place to stop wage theft in New York. Consider learning more about employment law in the state to prevent wage theft. Acquiring legal guidance can also improve your situation.
