Minimum Wage

“I don’t think my boss is paying me minimum wage. But he fired the last guy who complained about his hourly pay rate. I don’t want to rock the boat – I can’t afford to lose my job.”

Scenarios where employers do not pay their employees at least the required minimum age are, unfortunately, not uncommon. If you are concerned your compensation is below the current minimum wage, a wage lawyer can help you fight to recover what the law says you are owed.

The skilled attorneys at Gordon Law Group, LLP, who are based in Boston, represent current and former employees across the country who find themselves in this situation. When you choose to work with our employment and wage law firm, you can be confident your case is in capable hands. In fact, our attorneys are frequently cited among the best employment lawyers in the country.

Understanding Minimum Wage Laws

Minimum wage laws are designed to protect employees by ensuring they will be paid at least the current minimum hourly amount for their work. Under federal law, employers in the U.S. are legally obligated to pay their covered nonexempt employees at least $7.25 per hour. However, many states have enacted higher minimum wages. When a state’s minimum wage is higher than the federal minimum wage, employers must pay at least the higher wage.

Massachusetts is on a path to increase its minimum wage to $15.00 per hour by January 2023. To reach that goal, the minimum wage increased to $13.50 per hour for work beginning January 1, 2021. There are very few exceptions to this rule. Typical exceptions include:

• Tipped and Service Employees – these employees can earn $5.55 per hour (as of January 1, 2021, and increasing to $6.75 per hour by January 2023), as long as they earn at least $20.00 per month in tips and their employer follows the Tip Pooling Statute.
• Employees in training – persons in training can be paid less than minimum wage, if their employer follows specific guidelines.

However, under any other circumstance, an employee must be paid $8.00 per hour. Failure to do so is a violation of the Massachusetts Wage Act and the employee can be compensated with treble damages and attorney fees.

A Minimum Wage Lawyer Can Help You Fight for What You are Owed

With decades of experience handling employment law matters, Gordon Law Group, LLP is committed to standing up for employees’ rights. In addition to minimum wage issues, the firm’s attorneys also handle a wide range of employment law matters for workers at all levels, from entry-level service workers to executives.

If you were not fully compensated for your work at least with minimum wage, contact us today to schedule a consultation with an experienced wage claim lawyer.

This information is not a do-it-yourself guide to resolving employment disputes or handling employment litigation. While some may find this useful for understanding the basic issues and their legal context, it is NOT a substitute for experienced legal counsel and does not provide legal advice. Please contact the team at Gordon Law Group to discuss your specific case.