For many workers, especially those in industry, overtime pay is not a little something extra. It is a crucial part of their compensation they rely upon to provide for themselves and their families. But in a tough economy, many employers are looking for ways to cut costs while still preserving the same output — sometimes through legally questionable means. More often than not, it is the employees who bear the brunt of these cost-cutting measures as they continue to perform the same or more work for less and less compensation. The attorneys of the Sanford Law Firm recognize this trend and are dedicated to helping employees recover fair compensation for their labor. We thoroughly understand federal and state wage and hour laws and proudly represent both individual workers and groups of employees against unfair employment practices.
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) — a federal law covering most employers in the United States — requires companies to pay one and a half times an employee’s normal hourly rate for every hour in excess of 40 worked during a given workweek. Laws in most jurisdictions in the United States, including Arkansas overtime laws, extend these requirements to even small employers through similar state statutes.
Wage and hour issues are not always straightforward. Employers often require their workers to engage in “off the clock” work such as pre-shift meetings and on-call time that not only should be compensated but would actually constitute overtime. These seemingly small slights can add up to thousands of dollars over the course of a year. And if part of a pattern of conduct directed at multiple employees, this can constitute tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars of wrongfully withheld wages.
Some employers actually do not know their obligations regarding overtime pay. Others willfully flout them, hoping that their employees will remain unaware of their rights under the law or be too afraid of retaliation to complain. Whatever the case may be, the law entitles you to overtime pay and allows you to recover wages you should have received through legal action. The Arkansas overtime law attorneys of the Sanford Law Firm have helped workers in Arkansas and beyond force their employers into compliance.
At the Sanford Law Firm we are committed to helping hard working people get proper compensation for their labor. From our offices in Little Rock and Russellville, we are proud to serve workers and their families throughout Arkansas. But we are ready and willing to work in other states — wherever workers need a strong and principled advocate. Call our Little Rock office at 501-476-6251 or toll free at or contact us online to schedule a consultation regarding your employment issue.