Employees in every state, including Nevada, have laws that protect them from having wages their unfairly taken or from receiving less than the minimum wage. However, there are still some employers who try to get away with unlawfully paying employees less than they are entitled to. This is especially common when they believe employees do not fully understand their rights. When workers’ paychecks are short, there is the possibility of a wage-related business dispute arising.
This may also occur if a company violates laws while having workers make up for lost revenue. Some businesses require their employees to cover amounts that were short in their registers during their work shifts. For example, if a cashier made a mistake that resulted in the till being short by $20, his or her boss might have the cashier pay for the error out of pocket.
Recently, a restaurant company located in Nevada settled a class-action lawsuit that included current and former employees who were reportedly charged for till shortfalls. Oregon Restaurant Services will pay out $375,000, plus attorney fees, to about 700 people involved, as well as additional penalties for some of the employees. Each person will receive a minimum of $100, with some being awarded up to $5,000.
The company agreed to fully reimburse those it had required to pay back short registers, although company representatives deny any wrongdoing. They say that because the payments were not deducted from their employees’ paychecks, no wage violations occurred. However, attorneys for the employees say that the practice caused them to make less than minimum wage.
Wage disputes are not an uncommon form of employment litigation. Those who feel their employment rights are being violated have the right to seek compensation.
Source: Portland Tribune, “Dotty’s casino chain agrees to class action settlement with employees,” Steve Law, July 23, 2015
