Improper Meal Break Deductions Unlawfully Reduce Your Paycheck
The demands of any job can be daunting. Meeting production goals and serving customers are draining, especially in our fast-paced economy. State and federal laws recognize the importance of downtime to regain focus to be able to do a good job. Missing one meal break on a given day may not amount to a grievance worth pursuing. However, when an employer continuously demands that you work during lunch, the toll can become substantial. Moreover, denying meal breaks on a consistent and repeat basis can add up to a significant loss of wages that you are entitled to receive.
Understanding Your Right To Have Uninterrupted Meal Breaks
Illinois wage and hour laws make it clear that hourly wage employees are entitled to one uninterrupted, 30-minute meal break per six-hour shift. Any break less than 20 minutes must be compensated and not deducted from your pay. Another important requirement is that the unpaid breaks must be predominantly uninterrupted and to the enjoyment of the employee.
Most employers consistently interrupt employee meal break time with requests for small tasks while others because of pressing business cause the employee to eat on their feet and on the run. Others will have a payroll system programmed to “auto-deduct” a half hour or an hour meal break without any consideration of whether the break was a legitimate meal break.
Call 888-408-0401 or 888-408-0401. The initial consultation is free. Traductor/intérprete disponible.
Attorney John Billhorn has 30 years of experience helping workers collect back pay for mealtime and break time violations. While the company is only stealing a half hour of your time here and there, over years of service to the company the back pay can add up to be substantial in these trying economic times. With the guidance of Litigation Manager, Jodi Hoare, our firm has gained recognition throughout the Chicago and Denver areas for providing exceptional client service, while staying focused on what is important to you — recovering the compensation to which you are entitled.
Contact the wage and hour law attorney at Billhorn Law Firm to schedule a no-cost consultation with us about your meal break grievance today. We’ll help you get the back pay you have earned.
We are well-equipped to fight to protect your paycheck no matter how your employer is violating your right to break time, including:
- Improper meal break deductions
- Mandatory work break violations
- Pre- and post-shift work violations
- Restroom break violations
- Lunch break interruptions
- Other FLSA wage and hour law violations
Turn To 30 years Of Courtroom Experience To Get The Pay You Are Owed
Call 888-408-0401 or 888-408-0401 toll-free to contact the wage and hour law lawyer at the Billhorn Law Firm to schedule a no-cost consultation with us about your meal break grievance today. We will help you get the back pay you have earned.