Getting a paycheck is the primary reason for working, so if you start noticing that your check seems short, you may want to do some digging. Under federal and state law, a company must pay its employees at least minimum wage or the agreed-upon salary, or else it may come under scrutiny.
When you discover that your employer is not paying you what it should, you may want to consider filing a claim.
What does the law require?
Unless your employment terms state otherwise, the law mandates your company pay at least minimum wage for up to 40 working hours. For all the hours you work over that, your employer should pay time and a half. Employees exempt from overtime usually receive a pre-determined salary and do not receive an hourly rate. If you receive sales-based commissions, your employer must pay those as indicated under your employment terms.
What do you need to file a claim?
To file a claim, you need to prove that your employer is not paying you what you earn. Your employer should provide a breakdown of your hours worked and the rate for each. If your human resources or payroll department does not do this, you should review your paystubs and bank statements to find the proof.
Once you show that your employer is shorting you, the burden of proof to dispute it falls on your company. During this process, your employer cannot dismiss you, suspend you or take any retaliatory measures against you, or you may have the right to file a claim against the company for those illegal actions as well.