Jan 27, 2017 | Employee Rights
Every worker in Colorado, and throughout the United States, deserves to be paid for the work that he/she does. When workers are required (or voluntarily) to work overtime, they also deserve the necessary overtime pay. Unfortunately, there have been many cases right here in Denver where employers didn’t pay their employees the correct wages as well as overtime wages, resulting in unpaid overtime.
In Colorado, state and federal laws determine how much (and when) an employee must be paid. However, if your employer hasn’t paid the correct wages or overtime wages, you need to contact the leading Denver unpaid wages attorney as soon as possible. At the Civil Rights Litigation Group, we’re experienced employee rights and trial attorneys, and we boast the know-how and litigation strategies to fight against workplace injustices. Don’t ignore unpaid overtime, and call attorney Raymond K. Bryant at (720) 515-6165.
In the meantime, you can learn more about unpaid overtime below.
Unpaid overtime and wages
For every hour that an employee works, he/she is rightfully owed at least the minimum wage. In Colorado, that minimum wage is $9.30 per hour. Although the federal minimum wage is $7.25, any employee working in Colorado is owed the state minimum wage. In cases where the city or county minimum wage is higher than the state minimum wage, employees are owed the higher amount. If your employer has underpaid you, such as by paying the federal minimum wage, you may have an unpaid wage claim.
Unpaid wage claims do occur, but the most common type of employee wage violation is unpaid overtime. In short, employees in Colorado are entitled to overtime if they work more than 40 hours a week, more than 12 hours a day, or more than 12 consecutive hours. For overtime hours, employers must pay their employees time-and-a-half, which equates to an extra 50% of your hourly rate on top of your regular pay. This means that if you’re paid $10/hr, your overtime pay is $15/hr.
If your employer has failed to pay you adequate overtime hours, the unpaid overtime equals the difference between what you should have been paid and what you were paid.
Exemptions to overtime pay
Not all employees are entitled to overtime pay. Hourly, non-exempt employees have a legal right to overtime, but exempt employees might not be able to claim overtime. The most common examples include outside salespeople as well as white-collar employees who conduct managerial or high-level administrative work. Other exempt employees include:
- Salespersons, parts persons, and mechanics employed by automobile, truck, or farm implement (retail) dealers
- Salespersons employed by trailer, aircraft, and boat (retail) dealers
- Sales employees of retail or service industries paid on a commission basis
- Employees of the ski industry performing duties directly related to ski area operations for skiing or snowboarding
- Employees of the medical transportation industry who are scheduled to work 24-hour shifts
Penalties for unpaid overtime and wages
If your employer has failed to pay your overtime wages, your employer may be susceptible to certain penalties under federal or Colorado law. These penalties are typically added to the wage difference that the employer owes their employee. For instance, federal laws state that employees have the right to ask for liquidated damages regarding overtime wage violations. These liquidated damages are designed to cover financial losses, such as bounced checks and late charges.
Colorado law also provides when the employee’s final paycheck doesn’t arrive on time or include everything that the employee is owed. For instance, if your final paycheck doesn’t include the overtime wages, you may be entitled to 125% of the unpaid wages for the first $7,500 owed and 50% of the unpaid wages for any amount owed over $7,500.
How to file a wage claim or lawsuit
When you’re working overtime, you deserve every penny you’re owed by your employer. As such, if your employer is shorting your paycheck by avoiding legally owed overtime wages, you need to contact a Denver employee rights attorney as soon as possible. With the guidance and counsel of your attorney, you can file a complaint about unpaid overtime with the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE); you can also file a lawsuit in court.
Contact the wage and hour law attorneys at the Civil Rights Litigation Group
It’s important to acquire expert legal help when filing a complaint with the CDLE or filing a lawsuit in court. At the Civil Rights Litigation Group in Denver, CO, we have helped numerous individuals with their wage and unpaid overtime claims, and we boast the resources and know-how to help you too.
If your employer hasn’t paid you the amount that you’re owed, then call Denver attorney Raymond Bryant at the Civil Rights Litigation Group today! Call 720-515-6165.
Jan 6, 2017 | Civil Rights Law
The terms “good shooting” and “bad shooting” are in quotes for a reason — there are rarely “good shootings.” Even in some extreme circumstances, shooting to injure or kill should be a last-resort option when you feel threatened or that your life is in danger. From a police officer’s point of view, however, there is a difference between a justified, legal use of force and committing murder or, at the very least, manslaughter. These days, the police shootings against unarmed African Americans has spawned widespread criticism across the United States, such as the Black Lives Matter movement. Police misconduct is a serious issue.
As a Denver civil rights and police misconduct attorney, it can be clear (in most cases) whether or not the police used force responsibly and legally, or if the police officer was too trigger happy and led to someone’s death. Nevertheless, many Colorado residents are unaware of some of the subtle and more nuanced legal definitions that separate “good” and “bad” shootings. In this post, we’ll attempt to clear up some of these misunderstandings. In the meantime, if you or a loved one was shot by police, you shouldn’t hesitate; call the Civil Rights Litigation Group in Denver CO today at 720-515-6165.
Colorado police misconduct and the use of deadly force
Colorado police officers have several options when dealing with a potentially deadly, or even dangerous, suspect, and whether the police officer goes for the TASER or their gun often depends on the officer’s intuition during these split-second decisions, even more so than any standard protocol. Nevertheless, the rise of unjustified police shootings shows that “intuition” can lead to wrong decisions, resulting in police misconduct and an individual’s death.
Colorado law authorizes police officers to use force in specific situations, such as to carry out an arrest or prevent a suspect from escaping. Police can also use force to defend themselves or another person from the use or imminent use of force. The degree of force, however, depends on the unique circumstances of the situation, whereas deadly force may be justified when it is met with deadly force. For instance, deadly force may be justified when a suspect is committing a felony that involved the use or threatened use of a deadly weapon.
Deadly force, in virtually all cases, is not justifiable when the suspect is committing a misdemeanor. Colorado law makes it a crime for a police officer to use excessive force, which occurs when a police officer continues applying physical force even though the suspect is unable to resist arrest.
Deadly force and a fleeing suspect
When a suspect is running away, that suspect is less likely to pose a threat, and a Colorado police officer is only justified shooting a fleeing suspect in very specific circumstances. For instance, the 1985 Supreme Court case Tennessee v. Garner better defined the so-called Fleeing Felon Rule. According to the ruling, officers cannot shoot unarmed, non-dangerous suspects out of concern that they may escape. Police may shoot the suspect if the police believe that the suspect will cause serious injury or death to the officer, other officers, or the public, if not apprehended.
It is always important to remember that Colorado law recognizes that police are sometimes put in potentially dangerous situations; for this reason, case law states that the police officer may judge whether or not the use of force was reasonable and necessary, and not the facts and circumstances of the situation, which may come to light later with perfect hindsight. Police misconduct is not always cut and dried.
Fight police misconduct with attorney Raymond Bryant
Whether a person is dangerous, and how dangerous that person is, is rarely easy to determine. Nevertheless, there are many laws in Colorado that differentiate a “good” shooting from a “bad” shooting. If you believe that a friend or a loved one was shot due to excessive force exhibited by the police, it’s essential to act as soon as possible and call Denver civil rights attorney Raymond Bryant. At the Civil Rights Litigation Group, we have the resources, experience, and legal insight to take on police officers when police misconduct has occurred. For a free, no-obligation consultation with an experienced civil rights attorney, call our Denver law office today at 720-515-6165.
Dec 28, 2016 | Employee Rights
When fired from work, it’s understandable to feel frustrated, and it can even feel as if someone unlawfully fired you or gave you the short end of the stick. However, Colorado is an employment-at-will state, which means that employers and employees can end the working relationship at any time, with or without notice, and for any reason, or no reason at all. With this definition, it may seem as if the employer has free reign to fire employees however he/she would like. Fortunately, for the employees’ sake, wrongful termination is a major exception to at-will employment.
Wrongful termination is a broad area of law, and it essentially refers to unlawful terminations due to discrimination, contract violations, violation of Colorado public policy, and so on. If you believe that you were recently discriminated against or wrongfully terminated at your job, you may have a case. The first step is to call Denver employee rights attorney Raymond Bryant at the Civil Rights Litigation Group. Representing clients throughout Denver and the surrounding areas, our law firm can look through your case, provide essentially legal counsel, and, if you have a case, represent your interests diligently, aggressively, and professionally in Colorado courts. For a free, no-obligation consultation with our law firm, call us today at 720-515-6165.
In the meantime, this month’s blog post will describe some of the nuances and differences between employment-at-will and wrongful determinations.
Employment-at-will in Colorado
Throughout the United States, with a single exception for Montana, employment relationships are generally considered to be “at-will.” At-will-employment refers to the freedom of employers and employees to terminate employment contracts. The employer can fire an employee for any reason without incurring a liability, but it’s essential to remember that employers cannot fire an employee for an illegal reason. Additionally, at-will employment means that an employer can change the terms of the relationship employment without notice nor consequences. For instance, the employer can:
- Alter wages
- Terminate benefits
- Reduce paid time off or vacation time
Unfortunately, at-will employment does have some negative effects for the Colorado worker; employees are generally vulnerable to arbitrary and sudden dismissal, a limited work schedule that depends on employer needs, and unannounced cuts in wages and benefits.
Wrongful termination and your rights
The at-will presumption for many employment disputes is very strong. If you were fired and you believe that you were fired illegally, it’s essential to show the courts that you were wrongfully terminated. For instance, some examples of wrongful termination often include:
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Public policy exceptions: The public policy exception refers to when an employee’s termination violates an explicit, well-established public policy of the state. For example, employers in Colorado cannot fire an employee because the employee filed a workers’ compensation claim after being injured on the job. The public policy exception is perhaps the most common example of wrongful termination.
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Implied contract exceptions: Another exception occurs when an implied contracted is created between the employer and the employee. In these cases, there are no express or written contracts; the implied contract can be created through the employee handbook, for example, or through oral or written statements regarding job security or discharge procedures.
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Discrimination or harassment: Federal and Colorado discrimination statutes prohibit employers from making employment decisions based on an individual’s protected status, such as race, color, religion, sex, gender, disability, or veteran status.
What to do if you were wrongly terminated
If you were wrongfully fired from your job, there are some things you should do to help the wrongful termination case and hold your employer accountable for unlawful employment practices. First of all, you should never act out on any negative instincts against your employer. You should also:
- Become familiar with any associated contracts
- Ask about the reasons for your termination
- Request to view your personnel file
- Request and possibly negotiate a severance package
- Don’t allow yourself to be intimidated
Call the leading employee rights attorney Raymond Bryant
If you have been fired from your job, you may have rights as well as severance pay, damages, or unemployment compensation. One of the first steps in pursuing this legal action is to contact an experienced and knowledgeable Denver employee rights attorney. At the Civil Rights Litigation Group, we’ve helped countless individuals with their employment disputes and wrongful termination, and we have the resources and know-how to help you too. For a free, no-obligation consultation with attorney Raymond Bryant, call our Denver law office today at (720) 515-6165.
Nov 23, 2016 | Employee Rights
Colorado, like many states, has comprehensive laws and regulations designed to protect employees from malicious employment practices, such as undercutting employee wages or foregoing overtime payments to employees. Although the vast majority of employees in Colorado receive at least minimum wage as well as “time and a half” overtime pay, there are certain types of employees who are exempt from overtime, minimum wage laws, or both. If you’re not receiving appropriate overtime wages or minimum wages, then you need to first make sure that you haven’t been misclassified as an exempt employee.
If you are not exempt, then you are owed appropriate overtime as well as minimum wage. As Denver CO employee rights attorneys, we at the Civil Rights Litigation Group aim to fully protect employees from violations of overtime and wage laws, and we’ll diligently and expertly represent your claims in Colorado civil courts. Remember that misclassified, non-exempt employees may be entitled to thousands of dollars in unpaid overtime and other wages.
For victims of wage or overtime violations, make sure to call our Denver law office today for a confidential, free consultation. In the meantime, you can learn more about employee exemptions in Colorado by reading below.
Are you an exempt or non-exempt employee?
The federal law regarding wage and overtime regulations for employees is the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Colorado also has several similar laws. To understand whether you’re an exempt or non-exempt employee, it’s important to look at the FLSA as well as Colorado’s laws.
The federal law, FLSA, applies to most employers in Colorado who have annual sales or revenue of over $500,000. At the same time, both large and small businesses in Colorado must comply with Colorado state laws and regulations, such as the Colorado Minimum Wage Order. Ordinarily, overtime is defined as working over 40 hours in a work week. Under Colorado laws, overtime is also defined as working more than 12 hours in a day or a shift. Additionally, the law states that overtime pay must be one and a half times the employee’s regular rate of pay.
Overtime and exemptions from the Colorado wage order
The overtime and minimum wage laws defined above only apply to non-exempt employees. Section 5 of Colorado’s Wage Order sets the legal exemptions for certain occupations and professions. These include administrative, executive/supervisor, professional, outside sales employees, and elected officials and their staff. Other exemptions include:
- Companions
- Casual babysitters
- Domestic employees employed by households or family members to perform the following duties:
- Duties in private residences
- Property managers
- Interstate drivers
- Driver helpers
- Loaders or mechanics of motor carriers
- Taxi drivers
- Bona fide volunteers
- Students employed by sororities, fraternities, college clubs, or dormitories
- Students employed by work experience study programs
- Employees working in laundries of charitable institutions which pay no wages to workers and inmates
- Patient workers who work in institutional laundries
Exemptions from overtime
Section 6 of the Wage Order explains various professions and occupations that are exempt from the Colorado overtime laws. Exemptions from all or part of the overtime requirement may include commission sales, the ski industry, and medical transportation. These exemptions are explained below:
Commission sales exemptions — Employees who receive commissions are exempt from overtime as long as 50% (or more) of their total earnings in a pay period are derived from commission sales. Their rate of pay must also be at least one and a half times greater than the minimum wage.
Ski industry exemptions — Employees who work in ski area operations for downhill skiing or snowboarding are exempt from the overtime requirements. This includes employees who provide food and beverage services at on-mountain locations.
Medical transportation exemptions — Employees of medical transportation operations who work 24-hour shifts are exempt from the 12-hour overtime regulation as long as they receive overtime for working more than 40 hours in a week.
Consequences for misclassified exempt employees
Assuming a worker is exempt from overtime, even though that employee is not exempt, can present significant consequences for the employer. According to federal laws, if an employer doesn’t pay a non-exempt employee legal overtime wages, then that employer may be liable for the underpayment, “liquidated damages” in an equal amount, and even the employee’s attorney fees. Also, it’s important to note that in cases of good faith, where the employer made an honest mistake, some courts will rule that ignorance of exemption requirements is not an excuse.
Also, the employer can get into more trouble, increasing their liability, by engaging in any form of retaliation against an employee who claimed overtime.
Call the Civil Rights Litigation Group to protect your overtime rights
As the leading civil rights and employee rights attorney in the Denver, CO, area, attorney Raymond K. Bryant understands the full scope of Colorado and federal employment laws. In addition to helping you know whether or not you were exempt, the Civil Rights Litigation Group will work with you, one-on-one, with the goal of holding responsible individuals accountable for their actions (if they are liable, that is).
To speak with attorney Bryant regarding your case, call our Denver law office today at 720-515-6165 for a free, no-obligation consultation.
Nov 1, 2016 | Civil Rights Law
In Denver, and throughout Colorado, going to prison means forfeiting several rights. However, this doesn’t mean that Colorado inmates lacks basic human and Constitutional Rights. For instance, the U.S. Constitution protects prisoners from sexual abuse, cruel and unusual punishments, discrimination, and other types of abuse. The Constitution also states that prisoners have the right to complain about prison conditions, to access necessary medical and mental health care, and to ask for reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Unfortunately, Denver inmates have been subject to abuse and rights violations before, and it’s essential to have a competent and experienced Denver civil rights attorney to stand by their side and hold responsible individuals accountable for their actions. If you or a loved one was a victim of rights violations in Colorado prisons or jails, call the Civil Rights Litigation Group today at 720-515-6165.
What rights do Colorado inmates have?
Historically speaking, prisoners were sometimes treated with as little dignity as possible, whereas some prisons turned a blind eye to abuse and extreme violence, sexual abuse and rape, forced labor, and so on. Even today, horror stories will occasionally come out of our nation’s prisons, illustrating institutionalized abuse and rights violations. The U.S. Constitution seeks to provide a humane way of imprisonment, and most prisoner’s rights laws relate to fundamental human rights and civil liberties.
Below, we’ve listed some of the most common Constitutional Rights that Denver inmates have:
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Cruel and unusual punishment — The Eighth Amendment prohibits cruel and unusual punishment, but the Amendment doesn’t specify exactly what cruel and unusual punishment entails. Generally, a cruel or unusual punishment involves abuse or torture, or anything violating a person’s dignity within discretion of the court.
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Sexual harassment and abuse — All Colorado inmates have the right to be free from sexual abuse and harassment from both prison personnel and inmates.
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Voice complaints about prison conditions — All prisoners have the right complain about prison conditions and voice their concerns to courts/
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Disabled Prisoners — Disabled prisoners are entitled to reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
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Discrimination — Inmates have the right to be free of discrimination while imprisoned.
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First Amendment Rights — Inmates can exercise their First Amendment right, such as freedom of speech and religion.
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Medical and Mental Health Attention — When necessary, Colorado inmates are entitled to adequate medical care and mental health treatment.
What rights do Colorado inmates lose?
Although prisoners are entitled to a certain degree of Constitutional Rights, they still have strict limitations. Even prisoners’ First Amendment rights, and the exercise of those rights, cannot interfere with their status as inmates. Furthermore, inmates don’t typically have a right to privacy, and they can be subject to reasonable searches and seizures. Prisoners do retain Due Process rights, and prison staff cannot deliberately deprive them of their property; however, this doesn’t apply to contraband. Furthermore, prisoners are not often subject to minimum wage laws.
What to do if your inmate rights are violated
If you or a loved one is in prison and has suffered Constitutional Rights violations, it’s essential to speak with an experienced and knowledgeable civil rights attorney as soon as possible. Due to the “us vs. them” mentality between prison personnel and inmates in some Colorado prisons, these cases need the utmost care, professionalism, and timeliness. If facing abuse, a prisoner can bring up a lawsuit to protect their rights, obtain compensation for their injuries, and seek justice for the abuse and rights violations.
Contact the Civil Rights Litigation Group today
At the Civil Rights Litigation Group, we’ve remained diligent advocates for inmates’ rights for years. We take claims of prisoner abuse very seriously, and we provide vigorous and relentless representation for our clients. To speak with attorney Raymond K. Bryant about your case, call the Civil Rights Litigation Group in Denver today at (720) 515-6165.
