New Jersey Wage Theft Lawyers

What you need to know about wage theft in New Jersey

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 are some examples of wage theft in New Jersey?

Before our employment lawyers help you recover your wages, you first should know what wage theft truly is.

Wage theft occurs when an employer either doesn’t pay their employee at all or pays them less than what they are owed. 

You are likely the victim of wage theft if your employer:

• Didn’t pay you for all the hours you worked
• Didn’t pay you at a time-and-a-half rate for overtime if you worked more than 40 hours in one week
• Isn’t paying you New Jersey’s minimum wage
• Took illegal deductions from your paycheck
• Refused to send your last paycheck after you quit or were terminated
• Withheld tips
• Withheld benefits you earned
• Sent you a paycheck that bounced
• Classified you as an independent contractor to avoid paying unemployment insurance, worker’s compensation insurance, social security taxes, or overtime

Let us help you if any of the above happened to you. Contact the wage theft lawyers at Zipin, Amster & Greenberg today.

Is wage theft a crime?

Wage theft is a crime in New Jersey, and a series of laws have been passed in recent years to help fight it. This includes the Wage Theft Act (WTA) S-1790, which holds employers fully accountable and adds damages for those who commit wage theft, along with providing added protections against employer retaliation.

This law also compliments federal laws in place to further protect workers from being victims of wage theft. This includes the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) that clearly defines what every worker deserves to receive from their employer regarding wages.

Our wage theft attorneys understand these wage theft laws and know how to use them to get you the compensation you deserve.

Why and how does wage theft happen in New Jersey?

Even though there are numerous New Jersey laws in place to protect employees from wage theft, it continues to be a problem for many workers. Greedy and dishonest employers think they can make more money by withholding what’s owed to their workers.  Zipin, Amster & Greenberg is on your side to help ensure they don’t get away with it.

There are a number of situations that may lead to employers committing wage theft. For example, some New Jersey employers don’t want to pay taxes for their employees or other benefits, so they falsely classify workers as independent contractors. They may misclassify workers as ‘exempt employees’ for the same reasons.

Others simply refuse to pay minimum wage or overtime, as well as make contributions to Workers’ Compensation or Unemployment Insurance programs. Undocumented workers are often the victims of this type of wage theft. Employers may reason that undocumented won’t report wage theft for fear of negative consequences due to their immigration status.  The law, however, is clear that regardless of your immigration status, you are entitled to the protection of New Jersey and federal wage laws–including minimum and overtime wages.

No matter how or why an employer commits wage theft, our wage theft attorneys can help you receive the compensation you deserve.

Who are the most common victims of wage theft?

Wage theft can affect any worker, no matter their gender, race, education, or legal status.

However, those who commit wage theft often prey on workers who are already disadvantaged or feel they have the least amount of legal protections. Especially vulnerable to wage theft are immigrants, people of color, and women.

Many immigrants work in construction, restaurants, farms, landscaping, warehouses, nail salons, and hotels. They are frequently paid in cash rather than receiving a paycheck, and therefore don’t believe that they have any proof and therefore any rights to receive their full wage. But the reality is that employees can recover their unpaid wages even when they do not have any records showing their pay.

Regardless of who a worker is, what they do, or how they’re paid, there are New Jersey laws to help award workers what they’re owed. Our wage theft attorneys help victims like you receive full compensation.

How to prevent wage theft

Employers who commit wage theft are banking on their victim’s silence. They either don’t know that all New Jersey workers have rights and protections, or they don’t want their workers to know this fact.

That’s why the best way to prevent wage theft in New Jersey is to recognize that all workers can use the laws and protections in place to prevent being victims of wage theft. This is true regardless of your job, your race, your income, or your legal status.

These laws set out what an employer must do regarding minimum wage, overtime pay, medical or religious accommodations, and protections from retaliation or discrimination.

Let the wage theft lawyers at Zipin, Amster & Greenberg use these laws and protections for your benefit.

New Jersey wage theft attorneys with experience

For years, the wage theft lawyers at Zipin, Amster & Greenberg have been successfully winning cases for New Jersey clients like you. This is partly due to a focus on understanding all of the applicable laws and worker protections in New Jersey, along with knowing how to use every part of our legal system to get you the compensation you deserve. 

Along with an understanding of New Jersey and federal laws, we also speak Spanish to help you feel in control with what’s happening at each step of your wage theft case.

Employment lawyers that fight for you

The employment attorneys at Zipin, Amster & Greenberg take on numerous wage theft cases each month–and win. They have helped award millions of dollars for clients who were wage theft victims from all different backgrounds and industries. Let our New Jersey wage theft attorneys provide the legal insights you deserve to take back control of your wage theft case and receive full compensation

Contact our New Jersey wage theft lawyers today

If you have unpaid wages, then know you have rights. This is true no matter who you are, including if you are an undocumented worker. You can receive wage theft justice without disclosing your immigration status. 

The New Jersey employment lawyers at Zipin, Amster & Greenberg are ready to provide legal assistance for wage theft victims like you.

Fill out our contact form or call us at (551) 244-1257. 

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