Understanding employee rights at the workplace

On Behalf of | Jan 21, 2015 | Employment Disputes |

Indiana employees may be wondering what their employee rights are when it comes to issues like wages, overtime and lunch breaks. According to Indiana state laws, most work institutions are covered by minimum wage provisions by the federal law. In unique situations where a workplace is not covered under the federal law, the state’s minimum wage provisions may still cover employee laws. If a job involves a situation where the employee also receives tips, they must be compensated at the state’s minimum wage rate of $2.13 an hour. As long as their tips equal that rate, the employer has met the required conditions.

Employers must also pay their employees 1.5 times their regular pay rate whenever they work over 40 hours during the week. Some exceptions may apply, however. Employees most likely will not receive overtime compensation if they work more than eight hours during a day unless their hours worked totals more than 40 during the week. If an employer refuses to pay an employee, the employee has the right to file a claim or consult with an attorney about how they should proceed.

Employees are not generally guaranteed lunch breaks or rest breaks under law, unless they are a minor. In this case, a minor who consecutively works for six or more hours during a shift should be offered one to two breaks for a 30-minute duration. Employers are also not required to offer paid vacation times, sick pay or holiday pay.

Whenever an employee feels that their rights are not being observed, they might consult with an attorney to discuss which options are available to them. Employment disputes may stem from many different issues at the workplace. An attorney may be able to assist an employee in exploring what rights they have.

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