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What happens if an employer underpays you? 

On Behalf of | Jan 5, 2023 | Workplace Retaliation

You work hard every day to provide for your family. Sometimes, you even make personal sacrifices to give more to your employer. 

If you’re doing this, then you deserve to be paid fairly. It can be very disheartening to work hard all week only to find that your paycheck is short. What are your options in such a scenario? Are you entitled to speak up about being underpaid? 

You have a right to fair wages

Ideally, you’ll have an employment contract that sets out specific terms such as your job role, requirements and your agreed salary. Contracts are legally binding, and both parties have a legal duty to hold up their end of the bargain. 

If you have been paid below the agreed amount, then you may have a legitimate grievance. The first step should be to raise this with the company’s Human Resources (HR) department in the hope that it is a clerical error. 

In Ohio, the minimum wage for non-tipped workers is $10.10 per hour and $5.05 per hour for tipped workers. As an employee, under no circumstances should you be paid less than these amounts. 

You have protection from retaliation 

Your rights to a contractual wage or minimum wage are protected by the law. You are entitled to raise grievances about this without facing repercussions. If you have been disciplined or even terminated for questioning your wages, then you may be able to hold your employer to account. 

Employees have a host of legal rights at their disposal. To ensure that these are being honored, make sure you seek some guidance from someone with knowledge in the relevant field of law.