Crane Overtime Lawyer

Protect Your Crane Overtime Pay With Experienced Legal Guidance

Bustos Law Firm, P.C. in Lubbock represents crane operators, riggers, signal persons, and other heavy equipment workers who are not being paid correctly for overtime. Our Crane Overtime Lawyer uses more than 67 years of combined experience to identify unpaid hours, off‑the‑clock work, and misclassification issues under federal and Texas wage laws. Many crane workers face long shifts, remote job sites, and confusing pay stubs that hide unpaid overtime, and our overtime attorney for crane workers focuses on uncovering those violations. If your paycheck does not match the hours you actually work, our crane overtime attorney can evaluate your situation, explain your rights, and pursue the unpaid wages and penalties you may be owed.

Think your paycheck is wrong or your overtime is missing?

Do not wait. Your rights are on the line. Call Bustos Law Firm, P.C. now for a free, confidential consultation at 806-515-4951.

Common Overtime Problems For Crane Operators And Construction Crews

Practical Steps To Protect Your Crane Overtime Rights

Take Action Now To Recover Unpaid Crane Overtime

FAQs by Crane clients for Texas Lawyers

  • I work in Crane, Texas and my employer says our company follows “Texas law, not federal law,” so they do not have to pay overtime. Is that true?

    No. Most workers in Crane and across Texas are covered by federal overtime law under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), even if the employer says they follow “Texas law” instead. Texas does not have its own separate overtime statute, so the federal rule usually controls. Under federal law, non‑exempt employees must receive overtime pay at one and one‑half times their regular rate of pay for all hours worked over 40 in a single workweek. A workweek is a fixed and recurring period of 7 consecutive 24‑hour days. An employer in Crane cannot legally opt out of the FLSA by claiming they only follow Texas rules. If you are working more than 40 hours in a week and not receiving time‑and‑a‑half, that is a red flag. Bustos Law Firm, P.C. can review your pay structure and job duties to see if you have a valid overtime claim.

  • My employer in Crane says I am “on salary, so overtime does not apply.” Does being paid a salary automatically mean I am exempt from overtime in Texas?

    Being paid a salary does not automatically make you exempt from overtime. Under federal law, to be exempt from overtime, an employee generally must meet both a salary threshold and specific job duty tests, such as executive, administrative, or professional duties. As of now, many white‑collar exemptions require a guaranteed salary of at least a set amount per week, and the person’s primary job duties must involve higher‑level responsibilities like managing other employees, exercising significant independent judgment, or performing specialized professional work. If you work in Crane doing manual labor, routine clerical work, or following strict procedures, you might still be non‑exempt, even if your employer calls you “salaried.” In that case, you may be entitled to overtime for hours over 40 each week. Our firm can examine your actual duties, not just your job title, to determine whether you should be receiving overtime.

  • My boss in Texas only pays overtime after 60 hours in a week for jobs around Crane. Can an employer set a higher overtime threshold than 40 hours?

    No. For covered non‑exempt employees, federal law requires overtime pay for all hours worked over 40 in a single workweek. An employer in Crane cannot legally decide that overtime starts at 50, 60, or any other number of hours. They may offer better terms, such as paying overtime after 38 hours, but they cannot give you fewer rights than the FLSA provides. For example, if you work 55 hours in a week in or around Crane, you should generally receive 15 hours of overtime at one and one‑half times your regular rate. If your employer is only paying your straight‑time rate for those extra 15 hours, they may be violating overtime law. Bustos Law Firm, P.C. can help you calculate what you should have been paid and pursue the difference.

  • I work oilfield jobs near Crane and get a day rate plus some bonuses. How should my overtime be calculated under federal law?

    For non‑exempt workers, overtime is based on the “regular rate of pay,” which must include most forms of compensation, not just your base pay. If you receive a day rate for oilfield work around Crane, your regular rate is usually calculated by dividing your total straight‑time pay for the week by the total number of hours you actually worked that week. Non‑discretionary bonuses, such as safety bonuses or production bonuses that you are promised in advance, generally must be added into that regular rate calculation. Once your true regular rate is determined, overtime should be at least 1.5 times that rate for each hour over 40 in the workweek. Employers sometimes incorrectly pay only an extra half‑time premium on a day rate, or they ignore bonuses when calculating overtime. Those mistakes can add up to significant unpaid wages. Our firm regularly reviews complex pay schemes for Crane workers to see whether overtime has been correctly figured.

  • My Texas employer tells us in Crane not to record more than 40 hours, but we are expected to work longer days. If my time sheets only show 40 hours, can I still bring an overtime claim?

    Being paid a day rate does not automatically remove your right to overtime. Under federal law, which controls overtime for Texas workers, most day‑rate employees are still non‑exempt and must receive overtime for hours over 40 in a workweek. To calculate overtime for a day‑rate worker, you first figure out the regular rate by dividing total pay for the week by the total hours worked. Then, for each hour over 40, the employer must pay an additional one‑half of that regular rate, because the day rate already covers the straight‑time portion. For example, if you work 6 days in a week around Kermit, earn $300 per day, and work 60 hours total, your weekly pay is $1,800. Your regular rate is $1,800 ÷ 60 = $30 per hour. You should then receive an extra $15 per hour for the 20 overtime hours, which is $300 in overtime on top of the $1,800. If you are only receiving the flat day rate with no overtime, you may be owed significant back pay.

  • I live in Crane and often travel from town to remote job sites across West Texas. When does travel time count toward overtime pay?

    Under federal law, ordinary commuting from home to your regular work location is usually not paid time. However, travel between job sites during the workday is generally compensable. If you report to a yard or shop in Crane, load equipment, and then travel to a remote site, that travel is often considered work time once your workday has begun. Special one‑day assignments in another city may also require payment for most travel time, with limited exceptions. When that paid travel pushes your total hours over 40 in a workweek, it should be counted when determining whether you are owed overtime. Employers sometimes treat long drives from Crane to distant locations as unpaid commuting, even when those hours legally qualify as work. Our firm can review your specific schedule and routes to see which travel hours should have been included in your overtime calculations.

  • I used to work long weeks in and around Crane and think I was underpaid on overtime. I already left that job. Can I still file a claim, and what time limits apply?

     Yes. You can usually pursue unpaid overtime even after you have quit or been fired, as long as you act within the legal deadlines. Under the FLSA, most overtime claims must be filed within 2 years of the violation. If the employer’s violation was willful, meaning they knew or showed reckless disregard for whether their pay practices were illegal, the period can extend to 3 years. The clock typically runs from each paycheck that was short, not from your last day of work. That means if you worked in Crane and left a job 18 months ago, you may still have time to recover overtime from your final months there, but older weeks might be outside the window. Because these deadlines are strict, it is important to speak with an overtime lawyer promptly. Bustos Law Firm, P.C. offers free consultations and can explain what period of time is still recoverable in your situation.