Does it feel like you work all the time? Do you put in long hours at your company? If you are an hourly employee who works over 40 hours a week, you might be wondering if you deserve more pay. In most cases, if you work overtime you are eligible for and entitled to overtime compensation.
The Fair Labor Standards Act qualifies you for adequate compensation if you meet overtime pay requirements. If your employer is not paying you fairly for your overtime, you may be able to take legal action.
Overtime qualifications and regulations
Hourly employees are generally entitled to overtime pay for hours worked above 40 per week. Employees earning less than $455 per week or $23,660 per year in non-exempt industries are entitled to time-and-a-half pay for each hour over 40 worked. In Oklahoma, this means you should earn approximately $10.88 for each hour worked at minimum wage.
Unfortunately, if your position is executive, administrative, professional (i.e. education) or sales by definition, you may not be covered by federal overtime regulations.
What can you do?
Oklahoma employees are protected at both the federal and state level in regard to many wage and hour laws, however there are only federal regulations for overtime. Your employers can be held liable if they do not obey these regulations. In 2008, approximately 200,000 people received overtime compensation after filing a claim against their employer. If you think your rights as an employee are violated, you may want to consult an attorney to see what you should do.