Wage Issues

Employment Lawyers Representing Traverse City and Grand Rapids Residents

Federal and state wage and hour laws provide basic minimum standards that employers must follow. These laws cover what constitutes work time, when you should be paid, rest and meal breaks, tips, and overtime wages. Unfortunately, not all employers in Michigan understand these laws, and others understand the laws but willfully violate them. This can put employees in the unenviable position of needing to sue their employer to obtain the wages they rightfully earned.

If you are concerned that your employer has committed an employment violation, the Grand Rapids and Traverse City wage and hour attorneys at Neumann Law Group are here to help guide you toward a solution.

State and Federal Wage and Hour Laws

The Fair Labor Standards Act is the federal law that establishes rules for minimum wage, overtime pay, minors in the workplace, and recordkeeping for private employers and governmental employers. The minimum wage under federal law is currently $7.25 per hour, and overtime pay is 1 1/2 times the regular rate after an employee works 40 hours in a single workweek. However, employers in states that have a higher minimum wage need to pay the minimum wage that is more generous, and Michigan is one of those states.

As of January 2024, the minimum wage in Michigan is $10.33 per hour. The rules are a bit different for tipped employees, such as servers or bartenders. Employers may pay these workers just 38% of the minimum wage in Michigan if the employee’s tips combined with what the employer pays make the total hourly wage meet the state minimum wage.

What Are the Most Common Wage Violations?

Failing to pay overtime when it is required is one of the most common wage violations in Michigan and across the country. Whether your employer must pay overtime depends partly on your job description. Exempt workers—those who are not covered by overtime laws—typically include executives, professionals, certain administrative employees, outside salespeople, and certain IT workers, depending on what they actually do as their jobs. Overtime is supposed to be paid to most nonexempt workers who work more than 40 hours a week. Our wage and hour lawyers can help Traverse City and Grand Rapids workers bring claims based on violations of these laws.

Under Michigan law, your employer is not required to give you a lunch or rest break. If you work during a break, however, you are entitled to be paid for it. You are also entitled to be paid for brief work breaks that are part of your workday and are for less than 20 minutes.

Damages in Michigan Employment Cases Involving Wage Issues

Employees whose employers have violated applicable wage laws are entitled to collect penalties in addition to wages that were not paid if they successfully establish their claims. For example, you may request liquidated damages in the total amount of unpaid wages if your employer violates the state minimum wage law in addition to the unpaid wages. An experienced Traverse City employment law attorney at the Neumann Law Group can immediately meet with you to discuss your case and outline the potential damages you could recover.

Contact a Wage and Hour Attorney in Grand Rapids or Traverse City

All employees in Michigan are entitled to be paid a fair wage. Wage and hour laws may be complicated, and it is wise to consult a Traverse City or Grand Rapids wage and hour lawyer about your claim to make sure that you fully assert your rights. If you are concerned about wage issues, we may be able to assist you. Our firm also represents people in Ann Arbor, Flint, Lansing, Kalamazoo, Detroit, Wyoming, Saginaw, Muskegon, Midland, Holland, Warren, and Petoskey, as well as areas throughout the Upper Peninsula. Contact Neumann Law Group at 800-525-NEUMANN or via our online form to set up an appointment. We also assist people who need a sexual harassment lawyer or guidance with other employment claims, including racial discrimination lawsuits.