Many employees have enjoyed the conveniences of working from home, but the new work environment may not be all good news. Some employers have been taking advantage of their employees who work from home, and spotting this illegal behavior may be harder than you think. Here are a few examples of an employer engaging with wage theft with an employee who is working from home:
Unpaid overtime
Your employer may like you to be available for questions or work at all hours of the day because you work at home. Any time that you work outside of your regular 40 hours in a week typically qualifies as overtime work, and you deserve overtime pay for it.
Not giving you breaks
Some employers gain the idea that because you work at home, you do not need any breaks. Regardless of where you work, the law entitles you to breaks. If you are not taking rest breaks and meal breaks, you may be suffering from wage theft.
Working off the clock
Just because you work from home does not mean that you are always available to your employer. If your employer expects you to do even the smallest work task while off the clock, they need to pay you for your work or wait for you to return to work.
What can you do to stop wage theft?
If you suspect your employer is stealing your wages by not paying for overtime, not giving you the breaks you deserve, making you work off the clock, or in any other way, you should know that you have the power to hold them accountable. Contact an experienced employment law attorney to put a stop to the wage theft you are suffering at home.