NONPAYMENT OF WAGES

NONPAYMENT OF WAGES

Massachusetts and Federal law require that employees are properly paid for the work they perform. Employees must be paid at least the required minimum wage, overtime wage (if applicable), and –for certain individuals employed on public works projects- the required prevailing wage.

Employers are also required to properly classify their employees. Employers often misclassify employees as independent contractors in order to deny them their rights, including overtime, health benefits, and favorable tax considerations.

Retaliation against an employee for reporting what they reasonably believe to be a violation of these laws is also unlawful. Reporting can consist of complaints to supervisory employees, complaints to co-workers that supervisors learn of, and complaints to outside agencies such as the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office.

Representative cases

Statutes of limitation are short, so it is very important to contact an attorney as soon as possible.