In 1933, the first labor law was passed because of conditions in the workplace. The industrialization of the United States had sparked a need for the working-class man. That being said, there were no guidelines about the conditions and pay these workers had.
Even though it is nothing like the 18th century, Labor laws that were put in place are still being broken. It is only fair that workers in this great country get fairly compensated and treated correctly in the workplace. To shed light on this significant issue, below is a list of the most commonly broken labor laws.
Misclassification
Misclassifying a worker has to do with the way that people make money. For example, if a worker is classified as an hourly employee, they should make an hourly wage. The same goes for an employee that is classified as a salaried worker. That person would make a fixed amount of money.
Often workers get marked as salaried workers when they should be getting paid an hourly wage. Only certain people with specific job titles and credentials should be salaried workers. For example, professionals and executives are two positions that are classified as salaried positions.
Not Fairly Compensating Workers Injuries
Workers' compensation is a relatively well-known term and one that is frequently misused. Most people are required to have workers compensation insurance to work at a particular company. This is the most common and easiest way to avoid issues surrounding compensation.
However, some companies are not required to provide insurance. This does not mean that they are not required to cover injuries. If a company does not need or provide insurance, they have to cover the hurt out of their pocket. Sometimes companies will dismiss this because they do not want to pay for it. This, unfortunately, leads to a lot of lawsuits and the need for economic expert witnesses.
Not Paying Overtime
Many employers will not pay the required amount of overtime. If you work more than your assigned shift length or weekly hour limit, the company must pay you overtime. To avoid this, many people may leave after a certain amount of hours. Sometimes, they don't, and those employees do not get adequately compensated for their extra work.
As a whole, the United States needs to work on fairly compensating the working-class man. As these laws continue to get broken, it is hard for a working-class man to find a decent paying job; many people believe that this creates a shrinking middle class, leading to more significant issues and debates.
An easy way to help this issue is to do the little things, including being– fairly compensating the workers. Giving these people the right working environment will make them more productive and put more money through the companies and the government. Breaking these laws benefits nobody, so making sure these laws are enforced will make the people happy.
