Louisiana and Baton Rouge Oilfield Unpaid Overtime Lawyers

Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, employees are entitled to receive time and a half pay for every hour they work over a 40-hour workweek. While workers are not entitled to receive time and a half pay for Saturday, Sunday, or holiday work, any hours worked in excess of 40 hours in a given workweek should be compensated as overtime. This means that a worker who normally gets paid $14 an hour, would get paid $14 plus another $7, totaling $21 each hour worked over 40 hours.

Recent news reports have revealed widespread abuse in the oil and gas industry. Many oilfield workers who were denied time and a half overtime pay have been able to seek compensation for their unpaid overtime. Miller & Hilgendorf are oilfield unpaid overtime attorneys in Baton Rouge, Louisiana who may be able to help you fight back if you are owed overtime pay. 

How Oilfield Companies Deny Workers Overtime Pay 

There are several ways that oilfield companies have denied workers overtime pay. Oil companies have been known to misclassify workers as independent contractors, they have been known to fail to account for certain types of hours worked (including hours waiting and traveling to work sites), and they have been known to use accounting tricks to try to cheat workers of overtime pay.

• • Some oil companies misclassified employees as independent contractors. Because independent contractors are generally not paid time and a half, these workers could be denied overtime pay they may deserve. Were you misclassified? Independent contractors generally are seen as running their own business. They provide their own safety equipment, are permitted to subcontract work, and have more control over when and how work gets done. However, sometimes oil companies claim employees are independent contractors when these workers are employees. Because this can be a complex area of employment law, if you believe you were misclassified or were denied overtime pay, Miller & Hilgendorf, are oilfield unpaid overtime lawyers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana who may be able to evaluate your situation and help you understand what next steps you can take to seek overtime pay and benefits you may have been denied. When workers are misclassified as independent contractors, they not only lose out on overtime pay, but they can also lose out on benefits and access to worker’s compensation.
  • “Off the Clock” Work. Oilfield workers are required to be paid for all time they spend on the job. This includes travel time between job sites once you clock in and it includes time you spend waiting on a job site. One way oilfield companies tried to avoid paying overtime was by not letting workers log these hours. The oilfield unpaid overtime law firm of Miller & Hilgendorf in Louisiana may be able to help you recover payment for all the hours you worked.
  • Accounting Tricks. If you were paid by the job, by the day, or in other lump sums, you may have been denied overtime hourly pay. Miller & Hilgendorf are oilfield overtime attorneys in Baton Rouge, Louisiana who may be able to help you recover unpaid wages.

These are just some of the ways that oilfield workers have been denied wages they were rightfully entitled to receive. Miller & Hilgendorf are oilfield unpaid overtime lawyers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana who may be able to help you recover your lost wages. Contact us today to learn more.

Steps to Take if You Believe You Were Denied Oilfield Overtime Pay 

Some oilfield workers were denied thousands of dollars in overtime pay. If you were denied overtime pay while working on the oilfield or were misclassified as an independent contractor, what are some steps you can take to protect your rights? Here are several things you can do right now to protect yourself.

• Find documentation for the hours you worked. Look over your old pay stubs, or records of hours worked. Your employer has a responsibility to log your time on the job and you may have the right to request these records. If you weren’t paid for time and a half, contact Miller & Hilgendorf today.
• Find your contract and hiring documents. Were you improperly classified as an independent contractor or manager? If you believe this was so, Miller & Hilgendorf is an oilfield overtime law firm in Baton Rouge, Louisiana who may be able to look over your job duties, your contract, and other documentation to prove that you were an employee.
• Were you told that you are not entitled to pay for waiting time or travel time? Is this in writing? If you have records of this, you may have a strong case, and the oilfield unpaid law firm at Miller & Hilgendorf may be able to assist you.

These are just some ways that you can prove a case that you have been denied overtime pay on the oilfield. Miller & Hilgendorf is an oilfield unpaid overtime law firm in Louisiana, who can help you gather documents and build a strong case. Our firm is committed to protecting worker’s rights. Contact us today to learn more.