You’ve been working your tail off, but you’re not getting paid for it. Instead of getting the overtime pay you know you deserve, there’s no change in your paycheck. Last week you worked over 55 hours, but your check came out the same way it does when you work 40-hour weeks.

Something isn’t right. You know. Your boss probably does, too. Maybe not. It’s hard to tell with overtime pay. Before you hire an overtime attorney in Kansas City, you need to understand a few things about overtime pay.

What is Overtime Pay?

Every overtime attorney in Kansas City knows the answer to that question. And so should you. Any work you do above and beyond a 40-hour workweek is subject to overtime pay. There are exemptions in certain professions and positions. However, these can be rare. If you’re owed overtime pay, the hours can be billed at 1.5 times what you usually receive per hour.

Why Employers Fail to Pay For Overtime?

Not every employer fails to pay overtime on purpose. Most employers aren’t maliciously holding money from their employees. At least I prefer to believe so. No, many times an employer just makes a mistake and does not pay overtime.

Here are a few common mistakes employers make:

  • Businesses forget that some employees are not exempt from overtime pay.
  • Employers give you “homework” or “off the clock” work and expect that they don’t have to pay for that time.
  • An employer may pay an employee for some overtime, but the amount is not correct by the law.
  • The employer and employee have some type of agreement that conflicts with the requirement of paying overtime pay.

…And these are just the tip of the iceberg! Many employers have numerous reason why they “forgot” to pay their employees overtime.

Exemptions and Retaliation

It’s important to note a few things. First, an employer doesn’t have to pay overtime to some types of employees. There are many employees that will be exempt from overtime pay. While we cannot detail all of these exemptions here, it’s imperative that you make sure your job is not exempt from overtime pay before making a big deal about overtime pay. The help of an overtime attorney in Kansas City could be of use here.

The next thing you need to understand is that employers cannot retaliate against you if you request your overtime pay or hire an overtime attorney in Kansas City. Firing employees, demotions, and other dealings are illegal. Companies know and understand this law, but some still try to retaliate against an employee out of spite.

Finding the Perfect Overtime Attorney in Kansas City

If you believe you may be due overtime pay, get in touch today. Ryan M. Paulus’s attorneys want to make sure you are fairly compensated. As overtime attorneys in Kansas City, our goal is to ensure you get paid for your hard work and effort.