can an employer change your rate of pay for hours already worked.
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
can an employer change your rate of pay for hours already worked.
A day labor place has recently advised me that they were unable to pay me for my labor that day as someone had complained I made more then them on the same job. Now they are adjusting my rate of pay for the entire week including overtime that I worked. I had only agreed to work this job due to the rate of pay they offered. Can they legally do this in Colorado?
Asked on December 21, 2016 under Employment Labor Law, Colorado
Answers:
M.D., Member, California and New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 8 years ago | Contributor
No, an employer cannot change a rate of pay for hours already worked. A wage rate can be changed going forward, that is for future hours to be worked. However, it cannot change someone's compensation for time they have already worked. In other words, an employee's pay cannot be reduced retroactively. If your employer won't give you your correct pay you can file a wage claim with your state's department of labor and/or file a lawsuit in small claims court (assuming what is owed you will cover your expenses in doing so, plus your time).
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.