Wage & Hour Lawyer
We Handle Wage and Hour Claims in Texas and New Mexico
At Bustos Law Firm, P.C., our wage and hour attorneys have the knowledge, experience, and dedication that you can rely on. We handle the full range of wage and hour claims in Texas and New Mexico, including unpaid overtime claims, worker misclassification cases, and minimum wage violations. If you have any questions about a wage and hour claim, we are here to help. Contact us today for a free, confidential consultation with a top Texas and New Mexico wage and hour attorney.
Call 806-696-8285 to connect for a free consultation with a Wage and Hour Lawyer today!
An Overview of Wage and Hour Claims We Handle in Texas and New Mexico
Employees in Texas and New Mexico work hard for their pay. Wage and hour laws are designed to ensure that they are paid fairly. Broadly explained, wage and hour law regulates how employers calculate and pay wages, including overtime, minimum pay, and compensation for all hours an employee works or is permitted to work. Federal law (most notably, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)) establishes the minimum mandatory baseline wage and hour rules nationwide. There are state statutes that also impose stricter standards on employers in many jurisdictions. Our firm handles the full range of wage and hour claims in Texas and New Mexico. Along with other cases, we can help employees with:
- Unpaid Overtime: Workers who put in overtime hours are entitled to overtime pay. Under the FLSA, employers must pay non-exempt employees one and one-half times the regular rate for all hours worked over forty in a workweek. Our Texas overtime lawyer and our New Mexico overtime lawyer work tirelessly to help people get the full pay that they earned.
- Employee Misclassification: For the purposes of overtime law, an employer must prove that an employee meets both the salary basis and duties tests for an exemption to apply. Misclassification frequently occurs when employers rely on job titles instead of actual duties or apply the administrative or executive exemptions without evidence of real authority or discretion. We also represent workers improperly classified as an independent contractor.
- Minimum Wage Violations: Federal law requires payment of at least the minimum wage for all hours worked, and employers cannot shift business costs onto employees in a way that drives wages below that threshold. Employers may commit minimum wage violations due to improper deductions for uniforms, tools, or register shortages that reduce effective hourly pay below the legal minimum. The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. Texas does not have an independent minimum wage rate. It is the same as federal law. However, the New Mexico Minimum Wage Act sets the state’s minimum wage at $12.00 per hour.
- Improper Tip Credit and Tip Pooling Practices: Employers that take a tip credit must satisfy strict notice and wage requirements and may only include eligible employees in any tip pool. An employer may be held liable in many different circumstances, such as when they improperly include managers or non-tipped staff in tip pools or when they fail to ensure that direct wages and tips combine to meet minimum wage requirements.
- Retaliation for Wage Complaints: Your rights as a worker exist only to the extent that you can exercise them. Employers cannot discharge, discipline, or otherwise discriminate against an employee for asserting rights under wage and hour laws. Retaliation claims often accompany underlying wage disputes and can support recovery of additional damages beyond unpaid wages. If you were subject to unlawful retaliation, our attorney can help.
Call 806-696-8285 to connect for a free consultation with a Wage and Hour Lawyer today!
Why Trust the Wage and Hour Lawyers at Bustos Law Firm
Wage and hour laws are complicated. If you believe that your rights were violated by an employer, you need strong, experienced legal representation. At Bustos Law Firm, P.C., our overtime lawyer team has the specialized expertise that you can trust. With a long record of reviews and ratings in wage and hour cases, you can rely on us for personalized legal guidance and support. You do not have to navigate the labor law claims process alone. Contact an overtime wage and hour lawyer today to get started with your case.
Contact Our Texas and New Mexico Wage and Hour Attorneys for a Confidential Case Review
At Bustos Law Firm, P.C., our wage and hour attorneys are standing by, ready to protect your rights. If you have any questions or concerns about a wage and hour claim, please do not hesitate to call us at 806-696-8285 or contact us online to set up a free, no obligation consultation. We handle wage and hour cases in Texas and New Mexico.
Call 806-696-8285 to connect for a free consultation with a Wage and Hour Lawyer today!
Frequently Asked Questions for a Wage and Hour Lawyer
Q. What is a Wage and Hour Lawyer, and how can a Texas Wage and Hour Lawyer help with unpaid wages?
A. A Wage and Hour Lawyer specializes in protecting employee rights under federal and state laws governing minimum wage, overtime, and proper compensation for all hours worked. A Texas Wage and Hour Lawyer from Bustos Law Firm, P.C. reviews your pay records, hours worked, and job duties to identify violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and Texas law, then pursues claims to recover unpaid wages, overtime, or other compensation you are owed.
Q. What types of wage and hour claims does a Wage and Hour Lawyer Texas handle?
A. A Wage and Hour Lawyer Texas from Bustos Law Firm, P.C. handles a full range of claims, including unpaid overtime for hours over 40 in a workweek, employee misclassification as exempt or independent contractor, minimum wage violations, improper tip credits or pooling, and retaliation for asserting wage rights. These claims are pursued under the FLSA and Texas wage laws to ensure employees receive fair pay for all work performed.
Q. How does a Wage and Hour Lawyer New Mexico address minimum wage violations?
A. In New Mexico, the state minimum wage is higher than the federal rate under the New Mexico Minimum Wage Act. A Wage and Hour Lawyer New Mexico from Bustos Law Firm, P.C. investigates cases where employers fail to pay at least the required hourly rate, make improper deductions that drop effective pay below minimum wage, or violate tipped employee rules, and works to recover the full amount owed plus any additional damages.
Q. Can a national Wage and Hour Lawyer help with employee misclassification in Texas and New Mexico?
A. Yes, employee misclassification is a common issue where employers incorrectly label workers as exempt from overtime or as independent contractors to avoid paying required wages. A national Wage and Hour Lawyer from Bustos Law Firm, P.C. analyzes actual job duties against the FLSA’s salary basis and duties tests for exemptions, as well as state standards, to reclassify workers properly and recover back pay for affected employees in Texas and New Mexico.
Q. What are the overtime rules explained by a Wage and Hour Lawyer Texas?
A. Under the FLSA, which applies nationwide including in Texas, non-exempt employees must receive overtime pay at one and one-half times their regular rate for all hours worked over 40 in a workweek. A Wage and Hour Lawyer Texas from Bustos Law Firm, P.C. determines your eligibility, calculates the correct regular rate (including bonuses and commissions), and fights for unpaid overtime compensation when employers violate these rules.
Q. Does Texas have its own minimum wage law different from federal law, according to a Texas Wage and Hour Lawyer?
A. Texas follows the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour under the Texas Minimum Wage Law and the FLSA, as there is no higher state minimum wage. A Texas Wage and Hour Lawyer from Bustos Law Firm, P.C. helps employees recover wages when employers pay below this rate or use improper deductions that reduce pay below the minimum for all hours worked.
Q. How can a Wage and Hour Lawyer New Mexico assist with improper tip credit or tip pooling practices?
A. Employers in New Mexico who take a tip credit must meet strict requirements to ensure tipped employees receive the full minimum wage when tips and direct wages are combined. A Wage and Hour Lawyer New Mexico from Bustos Law Firm, P.C. examines tip pooling arrangements and credits to identify violations, such as including ineligible staff in pools or failing to make up the difference to minimum wage, and recovers owed compensation.
Q. What is retaliation in wage and hour cases, and how does a Wage and Hour Lawyer help?
A. Retaliation occurs when an employer fires, demotes, or disciplines an employee for complaining about wage violations, requesting overtime, or participating in a wage claim. A Wage and Hour Lawyer from Bustos Law Firm, P.C. handles these claims alongside underlying wage disputes under the FLSA and state laws in Texas and New Mexico, seeking additional damages for the retaliation to protect employee rights.
Q. What damages can I recover with help from a Wage and Hour Lawyer in Texas or New Mexico?
A. Successful wage and hour claims can recover unpaid wages, overtime premiums, minimum wage shortfalls, liquidated damages (often doubling the amount), attorney fees, and court costs under the FLSA. In New Mexico, additional remedies may apply under state law. Bustos Law Firm, P.C. pursues the maximum recovery possible for clients facing violations by their employers.
Q. Why should I choose Bustos Law Firm, P.C. as my Wage and Hour Lawyer for cases in Texas and New Mexico?
A. Bustos Law Firm, P.C. provides dedicated, experienced representation focused on wage and hour violations across Texas and New Mexico, including unpaid overtime, misclassification, and minimum wage issues. As your Wage and Hour Lawyer, the firm offers free, confidential consultations and works on a basis designed to make quality legal help accessible, so you do not have to face complex labor law claims alone. Contact us today to protect your rights under federal and state wage laws.
Contact Our Texas Unpaid Overtime Attorney Today
Call 806-696-8285 to connect for a free consultation with a Wage and Hour Lawyer today!