New York Gratuity, Tips and Overtime Pay Attorneys
Hospitality workers have important rights and protections under both state and federal law regarding overtime pay, minimum wage, tips and gratuities. Unfortunately, caterers, hotels, restaurants, country clubs and cruise lines don’t always comply with the law, underpaying or withholding wages due waitstaff and other eligible employees. At the New York law office of Leeds, Morelli & Brown, PC our employment law attorneys have recovered millions of dollars for waiters, barkeeps, bartenders, housekeepers, sommeliers, bellhops and other hospitality industry workers in cases involving violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the New York State Department of Labor’s Hospitality Wage Order.
If your employer has language in service contracts listing gratuities or service fees, or has withheld overtime pay and tips, contact our FLSA wage violation attorneys link to Contact Us today to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.
Common Problems in the Hospitality Industry
If you’ve been denied pay that’s owed to you, one of our employment law attorneys can discuss your situation and evaluate your case in order to explain the legal options available to you. We’ve represented individuals and initiated class-action lawsuits in regard to the following issues in the hospitality industry:
- Overtime Pay — Work More than 40 Hours a Week link to Overtime page
- Tips — When Management or Your Boss Steals Your Tips link to Tips page
- Service Charges and Gratuities Not Paid to Work Staff link to Service Charges page
- Minimum Wage — You Must Be Paid at Least $7.25 an Hour link to Minimum Wage page
- You Must Be Paid during Job Training link to Job Training page
- Restaurant Tips Must Still Pay Minimum Wage link to Restaurant Tips page
- Charging for Customer Walkouts — Improper Deductions link to Walk Outs page
Employers are Financially Liable for Violations of Labor Law
The look-back period for wage violations cases means employers can be held financially liable for wage violations that go back years. As a result, if your employer has withheld wages or gratuities owed you and your coworkers, the compensation involved could reach into the tens of thousands or, in the case of gratuities, the millions of dollars. We’ve been successful in a number of big cases involving back-owed gratuities and are intimately familiar with what the law requires, how to establish proof in these kinds of cases and what must be done to leverage the rights of employees.
Whether You’re a Citizen or Undocumented Worker, You Have Rights
To date, the courts have maintained that a qualified employee’s citizenship status has nothing to do with whether or not an employer is required to adhere to federal and state labor laws. For instance, in regard to overtime, any eligible employee that works overtime is entitled to overtime pay regardless of whether or not he or she is a U.S. citizen, visa holder or undocumented worker.
If you have reason to believe your employer has withheld wages, overtime or gratuities owed you, contact New York employment law attorneys link to Contact Us at Leeds, Morelli & Brown, PC, to schedule a free consultation today to discuss your case.
