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Minimum Wage Violations

You Deserve Fair Pay—Not Pennies on the Dollar

Every worker deserves to be paid at least the minimum wage for every hour worked. When employers fail to meet this basic obligation, they are committing wage theft—and violating federal and state labor laws.

Our firm represents employees who have not received the legally required minimum wage under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the Pennsylvania Minimum Wage Act (PMWA). If your employer has failed to pay you properly, you may be entitled to back wages, penalties, and other compensation.

What is the Minimum Wage?

Under the FLSA, the federal minimum wage is currently $7.25 per hour, but many states, including Pennsylvania, have additional requirements and interpretive rules that may offer broader protections.
Under the PMWA, the minimum wage is also $7.25 per hour, but the PMWA is more protective in several important ways, including how it defines compensable time.

How Minimum Wage Violations Happen

Minimum wage violations occur when:
  • Employees are paid an hourly rate of less than $7.25 per hour.
  • Not all hours worked are counted toward compensation.
  • Deductions from paychecks reduce an employee’s actual wage below the legal minimum.
These violations are often hidden behind complex payroll practices or misleading job titles, but the bottom line is simple: You must be paid at least $7.25 per hour for every hour worked.

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Common Minimum Wage Violations

Employers violate minimum wage laws in more ways than you might expect. Here are some common examples:
  • Off-the-clock work: Requiring employees to work before or after their shift without pay.
  • Automatic deductions for breaks not taken: Deducting meal breaks even when employees are required to work through them.
  • Time rounding practices: Rounding clock-in or clock-out times in a way that consistently shortchanges the worker.
  • Requiring employees to purchase uniforms or equipment: If these costs reduce your earnings below the minimum wage, it may be a violation.
  • Misclassification as exempt or independent contractor: When an employee doesn’t receive hourly pay but should, this can result in minimum wage shortfalls.
  • Tip credit abuse: Employers may not take a tip credit unless they meet very specific legal requirements, including ensuring that employees earn at least the full minimum wage after tips and that no tip sharing violations occur.

What You’re Owed

If your employer has violated the FLSA and PMWA minimum wage rules, you may be entitled to:
  • Back pay for all unpaid wages
  • Liquidated damages equal to the unpaid wages (doubling your recovery)
  • Attorneys’ fees and costs
You may also be able to pursue or join a class or collective action lawsuit if others were affected by the same policies.

We Advocate for Underpaid Workers

Minimum wage violations are all too common in low-wage industries such as food service, retail, delivery, warehousing, and hospitality. Employers may assume that workers won’t notice or won’t speak up—but we’re here to change that.

If you’ve been underpaid, contact us. We exclusively represent employees and are ready to help you fight for the compensation you deserve.

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