IT, Computer and Tech Support
In today’s world, computer and tech support workers are critical to keep business moving. Often employers treat such workers as exempt from overtime laws and otherwise shortchange computer worker wages. As a result, thousands of workers in this industry have had and are having their wages stolen by their employer. The top wage violations in the computer/tech support industry are:
- Failing to pay workers overtime for all hours worked in excess of 12 per day or 40 per week. Even salaried workers usually are entitled to this overtime pay. Many employers treat computer workers as exempt under the so-called “computer professional” overtime exemption when in fact few such workers qualify for the exemption.
- Treating workers as independent contractors to avoid the cost of overtime, insurance and payroll taxes. Very few workers in this industry truly qualify as independent contractors.
- “Shaving” or under-reporting worked hours to avoid paying for those hours. Often this takes the form of automatic deductions for meal/rest breaks that never were taken or that were less than thirty minutes of uninterrupted time.
- Not paying workers for certain tasks performed before, during or after their regular shift such as driving to the job (or between jobs), employee meetings, training programs, putting on, taking off, cleaning or maintaining equipment or gear and paperwork. Often employers illegally claim that this work is “off the clock”.
- Paying per diem instead of wages to avoid overtime pay.
- Paying a flat daily or job rate without consideration of the number of hours worked and the requirement to pay overtime.
- Making workers pay for their own equipment.
- Failing to provide meal and rest breaks.
If your employer is violating the computer/tech support overtime pay laws, you (and other employees) may be entitled to thousands of dollars of back pay. Please contact us for a free and confidential case evaluation or simply to learn more about computer/tech support workers and the overtime pay laws.