Working hard is generally a feature of having a job, but regularly giving your employer time without proper compensation is another matter. If something about your paycheck or work hours consistently seems wrong, it may be worth looking more closely with the help of a legal professional at how your employer handles your wages.
Not every workplace dispute amounts to a legal violation. However, certain patterns can indicate that an employer is benefiting from your labor without providing the compensation or protections required by law.
1. You are working off the clock
One of the clearest warning signs is being expected to perform work before clocking in or after clocking out. Unpaid work may include:
- Opening or closing duties
- Completing paperwork after clocking out
- Attending required meetings
- Responding to work-related requests outside scheduled hours
Keeping your record of when you start and finish work can help you identify differences between the hours that you worked and the hours appearing on your paycheck.
2. Your employer makes questionable deductions from your pay
Your paycheck should not contain unexplained deductions. Illinois’s Wage Payment and Collection Act regulates wage payments and the deductions employers may make from employee paychecks.
Pay attention if your take-home pay suddenly decreases or deductions appear without a clear explanation. Review each wage statement and compare it with the agreed rate of pay and other compensation you expected to receive.
3. Your wages are late, missing or lower than expected
Chicago expressly prohibits wage theft. Under the city’s ordinance, wage theft can include failure to timely pay wages for work performed and failure to properly provide or pay certain required paid time off and contractual benefits. Therefore, missing wages should raise concerns, especially when the problem happens repeatedly.
If your hours and paycheck do not match or you repeatedly perform work without receiving the compensation you’ve earned, seeking legal guidance can help you determine whether your employer’s practices violate wage and hour laws.