Wage Theft Lawyers | Unpaid Wages Attorneys

Learn What Wage Theft Laws Are And How They Help You

What do you need to know about wage theft?

No matter who you are, where you were born, or what your job is, you have rights when it comes to wage theft. Zipin, Amster & Greenberg is here to help you determine if you’re a victim of wage theft and how to get every cent that’s owed to you.

What is wage theft?

Having handled countless wage theft cases, our lawyers are ready to help you recover what you deserve after wage theft. But first, you need to understand what wage theft is: when an employer either doesn’t pay their employee or underpays them.

You’ve been the victim of wage theft if your employer:

• Didn’t pay you for all of the hours they worked
• Didn’t pay your overtime if you worked more than 40 hours in a week
• Isn’t paying you minimum wage
• Took your tips
• Took illegal deductions from your paycheck
• Didn’t pay your final wage after quitting or being terminated
• Issued you a paycheck that bounced
• Classified you as an independent contractor so that they didn’t have to pay taxes, unemployment insurance, worker’s compensation insurance, or overtime

If any of the above occurrences happened to you, then Zipin, Amster & Greenberg are ready to help.

Is wage theft a crime?

Wage theft is certainly a crime. Different states have different laws against wage theft, so how it is prosecuted depends on where an employee lives and works.

Notable laws against wage theft include the recently-passed Virginia Wage Theft Law, which created a private right for Virginia employees to sue for allegedly unpaid wages. It also expanded relief available to prevailing plaintiffs and their attorneys, thus helping those who may be unsure about their case to bring a low-wage lawsuit against employers. This Wage Theft Law complements other laws that make wage theft illegal, such as § 40.1-29.

Maryland also has laws to fight wage theft, including those that “imposes criminal penalties for an employer who deliberately fails to pay the wage of an employee without a valid reason, or provides employment with the intent not to pay.”

Why does wage theft happen?

A variety of circumstances can lead to employers committing wage theft. However, it’s almost always rooted back to money.

For example, some employers attempt to evade tax or legal obligations by classifying workers as independent contractors. Employers may misclassify workers to avoid having to pay minimum wage or overtime, as well as make contributions to Workers’ Compensation or Unemployment Insurance programs.

Because all of these motives for committing wage theft are against the law, however, our attorneys can help you go from being a victim of wage theft to getting the compensation you deserve.

Who are the most common victims of wage theft?

While any worker can be the victim of wage theft, the most common victims are immigrants, people of color, and women. Many work in construction where work is paid in cash, restaurants where tips are easy to withhold, as well as farms, warehouses, nail salons, hotels, or garment businesses.

If you work in these industries and haven’t been paid what you’re owed, our wage theft attorneys can help.

How to prevent wage theft

To make sure you don’t become a victim of wage theft, the greatest asset you have is knowing your rights. There are federal, state, and local laws that are designed to protect anyone working in the United States–including those who are undocumented.

These laws and rights include minimum wage laws, overtime pay laws, medical or religious accommodations, and protections from retaliation or discrimination.

It’s best to use a wage theft lawyer like Zipin, Amster & Greenberg. We know these laws and rights and have experience effectively using them to win wage theft cases for clients like you.

Educated Wage Theft Lawyers

Zipin, Amster & Greenberg don’t just know how to help wage theft victims–we know exactly how to win your case. We do this by understanding all of the applicable laws and worker protections and using the full might of the legal system to get you the compensation you deserve.

Not only that but half of our lawyers as well as our entire staff speak Spanish to help you feel in control and understand what’s happening with your case.

Wage Theft Lawyers That Know How To Win

Each year, the wage theft lawyers at Zipin, Amster & Greenberg take on hundreds of wage theft cases–and win. That means millions of dollars for clients who were once owed wages from all different backgrounds and industries. We’ll help you understand what took place from a legal perspective, as well as what you can expect in order to get you the full compensation amount you deserve.

Are You A Wage Theft Victim? Contact Our Wage Theft Lawyers Today

If you’ve been the victim of wage theft or have unpaid wages, you have rights. This is true even if you are an undocumented worker. You also don’t have to disclose your immigration status to receive wage theft justice.

Zipin, Amster & Greenberg are ready to provide legal assistance for wage theft victims. Let us use our 60+ years of combined experience as employment law attorneys to help you receive justice and receive every penny owed to you.

Fill out our contact form or call us at 301-587-9373.

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