Some companies in Texas commit wage theft as an indirect form of discrimination

Houston, TX – Workers may not be paid properly for a number of different reasons. Regardless of the employer’s issues or justification for the problem, unpaid wages, overtime, and wage theft are all serious problems and the worker can take action to defend their rights and ensure that they are paid properly. Gender based discrimination and harassment can also factor into unequal pay issues. Some employers even retaliate against those who have reported harassment with demotions and withheld pay.

Common types of wage theft

Any type of unpaid income, underpayments, or denying a worker their final pay after resigning or termination all falls under the umbrella of wage theft. While any workers in any field can potentially be affected, workers in low paying fields are most likely to be victimized.

Employees of companies that do various types of manual labor and similar contracted work tend to also go without overtime, even on days and weeks where they work long hours, well in excess of the standard forty. Some employers in these fields have resorted to forcing employees to sign various arbitration agreements as a condition of accepting a job, which technically prevents them from going to court and filing standard lawsuits related to unpaid wages. While this practice seems unethical, it is also becoming more widespread.

Exemption status

Depending on the jurisdiction, there may be various categories of exempted workers who are not entitled to overtime. Any worker who is uncertain about this issue should speak with an outside professional or government agency, rather than taking their employer’s work at face value.

Improper payment and gender pay gaps

Women and other common victims of harassment may also experience wage issues related to the gender pay gap and related problems. Some employees who have reported harassment in the past have been denied promotions or left jobs due to hostile work environments. This can result in lost income over time, even when the worker’s salary is not immediately impacted at the time of the incident. Some workplaces have a history of finding covert ways to take money away from employees by indirect means. Because workplace harassment and gender discrimination is a serious problem, an attorney should be made aware of these issues as soon as possible, whether they affect pay and wages or not. A lawsuit may be necessary to remedy the situation.

Employment firms are available to help victims of harassment

Moore and Associates is a labor and employment firm that assists clients with lawsuits throughout the state of Texas. Anyone who is considering a case against their employer or other actions should contact the firm to schedule an initial meeting and review their options.

Firm contact info:

Moore & Associates

440 Louisiana Street, Suite 675, Houston, TX 77002

713-222-6775