How to properly make a wage claim

Employees deserve to be paid the wages agreed upon in an employment contract. When an employee is not paid the agreed-upon wages, he or she is well within their rights to file a wage claim with the United States Department of Labor. Today, we will explore the process for making a wage claim so you can do so accordingly if the need ever arises.

Your wage claim must be filed with the Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor. You will need to provide the following information for your claim:

• Name
• Address and phone number
• Name of employer
• Location of employer
• Phone number of employer
• Name of the company owner or your direct supervisor
• The work you performed
• The method in which you were paid and how frequently payment was issued

It is in your best interest to provide the Wage and Hour Division with copies of your most recent pay stubs, a copy of your employment contract (if you have one) and copies of records you kept of your hours worked.

Providing as much information about your employment history with the company you are filing a complaint against will aid in your investigation. There might not be any solid evidence against the employer to move forward with the claim, but that doesn’t mean you still aren’t owed your money. It might have been a simple payroll mistake.

Wage claims are not uncommon at businesses throughout Los Angeles County. Employers are required to pay their employees the wages they agreed to when the offer of employment was extended and accepted. Protect yourself by filing a wage claim with the help of an attorney.